US embassy cable - 05ROME2920

UNCLAS  ROME 002920 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO A/S KRISTEN SILVERBERG; EDA; NEA/ENA; EA/SEA 
USAID FOR NATSIOS AND MERTENS; DCHA FOR A/A MHESS; 
FFP/LLANDIS; OFDA/GOTTLIEB; AND PPM/BRAUSE 
USDA FOR FAS HUGHES 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
PARIS FOR GCARNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, KN, AORC, PHUM, PREL, SOCI, UN, WFP 
SUBJECT: TERMINATION OF WFP HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN 
NORTH KOREA 
1. Summary.  World Food Programme (WFP) Executive 
Director (ED) James Morris told us on September 1 that 
WFP would end assistance to the DPRK.  He related that in 
an August 31st meeting with North Korean Ambassador Choe 
 
Taek San, San informed him of his government's plan to 
terminate international humanitarian assistance, 
including WFP's emergency operation, by December 31, 
2005.  The Government of DPRK anticipates receiving a 
bumper crop this year, San said, and no longer requires 
special help on an emergency basis.  He thanked Morris 
for WFP's assistance over the last 10 years and suggested 
that there may be emergency situations over the coming 
years where WFP assistance will be required. He further 
iterated that if development assistance is needed, 
programs would be managed by North Korean nationals, 
whose efforts would be supplemented by the infrequent 
visits of short duration (1-2 days) by foreign nationals. 
End Summary 
 
2. On September 1, WFP Executive Director James Morris 
called a closed meeting with key permanent 
representatives in Rome (Germany, South Korea, Japan, 
Australia, and the United States) to inform the group 
that the Government of DPRK plans to terminate WFP food 
assistance effective December 31, 2005.  Morris said that 
on August 31, Democratic People's Republic of Korea 
(DPRK) Ambassador Choe Tak San formally informed him that 
the DPRK no longer required emergency food assistance 
after a bumper harvest in his country.  The text of a 
letter delivered by San follows para 8. 
 
3. According to Morris, the tone of the meeting was 
cordial, but clearly San was delivering a scripted 
message with virtually no back and forth.  The Ambassador 
thanked WFP for the invaluable assistance it has 
delivered to the people of North Korea over the past 10 
years.  The Ambassador also said that if conditions 
changed the DPRK hoped it could count on future WFP 
emergency assistance. 
 
4. Morris reported that the DPRK would consider 
development assistance from WFP provided that the 
programs were implemented entirely by North Korean 
nationals, with expatriate visits only two to three times 
per year.  He noted that he had responded to San that 
many countries placed restrictions on development 
assistance to DPRK.  Morris also told San that he would 
be willing to visit DPRK to explore how their 
relationship might move forward. 
 
5. Morris informed us that he was not particularly 
surprised by the DPRK announcement.  He noted that the 
lack of conditions on the aid being provided bilaterally 
by South Korea did not require the same level of 
monitoring and end-use checking, and presence of foreign 
relief workers, than that offered multilaterally.  The 
South Korean representative remarked that he hoped DPRK 
would reconsider its position on WFP assistance.  NOTE: 
The Republic of Korea has promised 500,000 metric tons 
(MT) of rice and 350,000 MT of fertilizer to the DPRK 
this year.  END NOTE 
 
6. Also present at the meeting with the DPRK Ambassador 
was WFP Senior Deputy Executive Director Jean-Jacques 
Graisse.  Graisse indicated to the donor group that the 
DPRK made the same points to the European Community 
Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and a select number of non- 
governmental organizations. 
 
7.  Comment.  The announcement by the DPRK obviously 
leaves WFP and donors with questions about the true 
ability of the government to provide sufficient food to 
 
8.  BEGIN TEXT 
 
Rome, 29 August, Juche 94/(2005) 
 
To: H.E. Mr. James T. Morris 
Executive Director 
World Food Programme 
 
Subject:  Information on the Humanitarian Emergency 
Assistance to the DPR of Korea 
 
I have the honor to inform you of the new measure 
introduced by the Government of the DPR of Korea on the 
humanitarian emergency assistance to the DPR of Korea 
 
The DPR of Korea has suffered from natural disasters for 
the last 10 years and WFP has provided humanitarian 
assistance that was of much help in overcoming the 
temporary economic difficulties and in rehabilitation 
work. 
 
We express our deep thanks to WFP for its valuable food 
assistance to DPRK. 
 
The humanitarian situation in the country has been 
drastically improved in recent years and the Government 
of DPR Korea has taken measure to discontinue the 
consolidated appeal for UN humanitarian assistance since 
the end of 2004 and the Flood Damage Rehabilitation 
Committee will end its work by the end of 2005. 
 
Accordingly, the Government of DPRK expects the 
humanitarian assistance work of the international 
organizations in the DPRK will be terminated by the end 
of 2005. 
 
But the DPRK will continue to receive regular assistance 
from international organizations and would unexpected 
natural disasters occur again in the future, we will 
welcome humanitarian assistance. 
 
The above-mentioned information has already been reached 
to the UN coordinator and the WFP country director in 
Pyongyang. 
 
I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate our 
gratitude for the humanitarian food assistance rendered 
by WFP to DPRK. 
 
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my 
highest consideration. 
 
Choe Taek San 
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of DPRK 
To UN Food and Agricultural Agencies in Rome 
 
CLEVERLEY 
 
 
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 2005ROME02920 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED