US embassy cable - 02VATICAN290

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000290 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EAP/K, EUR/WE (MENNUTI) 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 010/02 
 
ROME PLS PASS FODAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, EAID, EAGR, KN, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN CHARITY COMBATS HARSH CONDITIONS IN NORTH 
KOREA 
 
REF: 01 VATICAN 1244 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.   VATICAN NGO, CARITAS HONG KONG, COORDINATES THE 
VATICAN'S RELIEF EFFORTS IN NORTH KOREA. THE ORGANIZATION 
HAS A SOLID WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DPRK GOVERNMENT. 
CARITAS REPORTS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOOD SITUATION AFTER 
MASSIVE INPUTS FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING 
THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM. OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, CARITAS 
PROVIDED MORE THAN 20 MILLION DOLLARS OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL 
AND DEVELOPMENT AID. ACCORDING TO CARITAS, NORTH KOREA'S 
GOVERNMENT HAS PULLED BACK SOMEWHAT FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE 
OUTSIDE WORLD, IN PARTICULAR THE U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA, AND 
HAS REDUCED ITS INTERNAL PROPAGANDA RHETORIC. CARITAS IS 
COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE PRESENCE IN NORTH KOREA. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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SITUATION UP-DATE 
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2.   EMBASSY OFFICERS RECEIVED A SITUATION UPDATE JANUARY 10 
FROM CARITAS' NORTH KOREAN AID COORDINATOR KATHI ZELLWEGER 
WHO LAST VISITED THE DPRK IN NOVEMBER 2001, HER FIFTH ENTRY 
FOR THAT YEAR. ACCORDING TO ZELLWEGER, "PEOPLE ARE LIVING ON 
THE EDGE" - THE POPULATION HAS ENOUGH FOOD TO SURVIVE BUT 
NOT ENOUGH TO LEAD A HEALTHY LIFE. FOOD SHORTAGES ARE 
PARTICULARLY ACUTE IN THE EASTERN COASTAL DISTRICTS WHERE 
ARABLE LAND IS AT A MINIMUM AND URBAN-BASED NORTH KOREANS DO 
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO PLOTS OF LAND FOR SUBSISTENCE GARDENING. 
CARITAS HONG KONG COORDINATES THE PROVISION OF FOOD INPUTS 
AND BASIC HEALTH CARE AT THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. (NOTE: 
CARITAS IS PART OF A FOOD AID LIAISON UNIT OPERATING OUT OF 
PYONGYANG. THE UNIT ALSO INCLUDES THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM. 
END NOTE). ZELLWEGER NOTED THAT NORTH KOREAN CHILDREN ARE 
STUNTED - A CLEAR SIGN OF CHRONIC MALNUTRITION. ZELLWEGER 
SAYS MASSIVE FOOD AID - ONE MILLION TONS IN 2001 - HAS HAD 
AN IMPACT FOR THE BETTER AND NO DEVASTATING FAMINE IS 
ENVISAGED. 
 
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ON THE POLITICAL SCENE 
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3.   ON THE POLITICAL SCENE, ZELLWEGER HAS NOTICED A 
REDUCTION IN PROPAGANDA RHETORIC COMING FROM THE GOVERNMENT. 
SHE EXPECTS THE SIXTIETH BIRTHDAY OF THE "BELOVED LEADER" TO 
BE CELEBRATED BY AN INCREASE IN FOOD RATIONS AND PERHAPS BY 
AN AMNESTY FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PRISONERS. ZELLWEGER 
OPINED THAT EXPECTATIONS RESULTING FROM THE "SUNSHINE 
SUMMIT" WERE OVER OPTIMISTIC. SHE BELIEVES FAMILY REUNIONS 
NEED TO BE REVIVED AS THE OLDER GENERATION IS DYING OUT AND 
YOUNGER SOUTH KOREANS ARE LOSING THEIR "LINKS" TO THE DPRK. 
ACCORDING TO ZELLWEGER, THE DPRK IS "BACKING AWAY" FROM 
SOUTH KOREA AND THE U.S. SHE CONSIDERS THE UP-COMING WORLD 
SOCCER CUP MEDIA COVERAGE MAY HAVE A POSITIVE SPIN OFF 
REFOCUSING PUBLIC ATTENTION TO NORTH KOREA'S FOOD SHORTAGES 
AND RELATED ISSUES. ZELLWEGER SAYS PROTRACTED RELIEF 
OPERATIONS ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE TO POTENTIAL DONORS. 
 
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CARITAS PROJECTS 
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4.   CARITAS SPONSORED PROJECTS IN NORTH KOREA INCLUDE A 
CHILDREN'S CLOTHING FACTORY PROVIDING WORK FOR WOMEN WHOSE 
SALARIES ARE PAID IN CASH AND FOOD. CARITAS ALSO SUPPORTS 
FISH FARMING - WORKING TO ENCOURAGE PRODUCTION INCREASES AND 
COOPERATIVE FARMS. CARITAS PROVIDES "KITS" TO FARMS 
CONTAINING TOOLS, SEEDS, MECHANICAL PARTS, FERTILIZERS AND 
PLASTIC SHEETING. ZELLWEGER SAID SOME OF THE COOPERATIVES 
HAVE A "FREEDOM" TO PLANT WHAT THEY WANT AND SO PRODUCE CASH 
CROPS SUCH AS TOBACCO. THE MONEY RAISED FROM CASH CROPS IS 
USED TO BUY OTHER ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS. AS WELL AS 
PROVIDING FOOD AID TO THE MOST VULNERABLE - WOMEN, CHILDREN, 
THE ELDERLY - CARITAS PROVIDES BASIC HEALTH CARE KITS. 
ZELLWEGER SAID THE HEALTH SYSTEM IS "DISMAL" AND THE ACUTE 
LACK OF SUPPLIES IS FRUSTRATING MEDICAL PERSONNEL. THE 
CARITAS HEALTH CARE KITS PROVIDE BASIC EQUIPMENT TO VILLAGE 
HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AS WELL AS A STABLE SUPPLY OF DRUGS - 
AT LEAST TWELVE MONTHS. (NOTE: ZELLWEGER SAID THE WHO HAS AN 
OFFICE IN PYONGYANG BUT THAT IT IS "DESPERATELY UNDER- 
FUNDED." END NOTE). 
 
5.   AN INDEPENDENT FIVE-YEAR REVIEW OF THEIR OPERATIONS 
CONDUCTED IN NOVEMBER 2001 RESULTED IN CARITAS COMMITTING TO 
STAY IN NORTH KOREA FOR THE LONG HAUL, HAVING ALREADY 
PROVIDED SOME 23 MILLION DOLLARS OF AID. FUTURE AID 
STRATEGIES WILL BUILD ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST SIX 
YEARS WITH FOOD AID, AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH AS THE MAIN 
SECTORS. THE MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS WILL BE ON THE EAST 
COAST PROVINCES. 
 
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COMMENT 
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6.    ZELLWEGER IS A USEFUL EMBASSY CONTACT AS HER REGULAR 
SOJOURNS INTO NORTH KOREA PROVIDE US WITH A GOOD ASSESSMENT 
OF THE HUMANITARIAN AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, POLITICAL 
SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY. ZELLWEGER WILL BE IN WASHINGTON IN 
THE SPRING AND POST HOPES TO FACILITATE MEETINGS FOR HER 
WITH STATE AND NGO OFFICIALS. SHE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN 
MEETING WITH CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES, CARITAS' U.S. BRANCH. 
END COMMENT. 
 
NICHOLSON