>Dear Mr Krisher, > >Please apologize the delay in responding to your mail. I have, per your >suggestion, attached a copy of our most recent operations report for the >DPRK. I have spent, over the last six weeks, an enormous amount of >time working with Congress and the Executive to move U.S. assistance >towards the DPRK. As you are no doubt aware, the U.S. and the ROK >have effectively agreed to disagree over the issue of aid to the DPRK, >and it is likely that the U.S. will release food assistance under P.L. 480 >Title II. > >That said, however, no assistance will be forthcoming until there is clear >statistical evidence of malnutrition. Using measurements such as >mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), a nutrition assessment would >substantially bolster the case for food assistance. The DPRK authorities >are reported to be wary of admitting malnutrition, particularly among >children, and therefore, the issue is a bit tricky. Nevertheless, the donor >community, already wary of the DPRK and its government, want clear >evidence that there is a looming crisis before any assistance is released. > >I have been working with several congressional offices, including that of >Rep Tony Hall, a leading proponent of hunger alleviation, to position the >issue. Hall, while sympathetic, told me in a letter yesterday that although >he was concerned, "more data, perhaps in the form of a reputable >survey showing specific nutritional needs, is necessary to move >Congress to address the North Korean disaster situation. Precise >analysis could provide the means to motivate action on the Hill." Without >Hall's active support, it is unlikely that congressional action will be >forthcoming. > >As of this writing, WFP is preparing to undertake a nutritional >assessment, but it remains somewhat unclear to what extent the data >generated will be accepted. To date, WFP--in conjunction with DHA and >FAO--has conducted two assessments, neither of which produced >micro-level nutritional data. I nonetheless remain optimistic that data, >collected either by the U.N. or the Red Cross, will be produced at some >point. > >Per your questions about the Treasury Dept., Dr. Calvi and other issues, I >have replied below: > >The Treasury Department (and Commerce) has been advised by State >that requests for licenses from OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets >Control) are to be expedited. To date, however, OFAC has been >unwilling to approve export licenses for amounts greater than about >$10,000. This, in my view, reinforces U.S. fears that money not >channelled directly through the U.N. or the Red Cross will go to the >government of the DPRK, something U.S. policy is set against. An >alternative method of contributing support is to make cash contributions >to UN-DHA in Geneva, or the Red Cross, through the National Society in a >given country. In the U.S., contributions may be made to the American >Red Cross, through this office. > >With regard to Dr Calvi, his mission in Pyongyang ended yesterday, and >he is scheduled to brief the Geneva press corps tomorrow. He is being >replaced by Mr Xiaohua Wang of the Red Cross Society of China. > >With regard to your account with Crestar, unless you route money >through the U.N. or the Red Cross, I am afraid that you will face >considerable delays and roadblocks. AFSC, for example, has to date >been able to obtain a license only for an initial grant of $10,000. It is >unclear to whom this was transferred. I have learned from my >colleagues at State, however, that the government of the DPRK has >moved to limit contacts between North Korean and foreign organizations, >preferring instead to rely on the Red Cross and the U.N., two >organizations with which the North Korean authorities are sufficiently >familiar to provide a degree of comfort. This position was recently >reiterated to me in New York by Ambassador Kim. > >As to the cost of rice, I believe IFRC was paying about $250 a ton, >although you would have to contact them directly to be sure. > >Finally, with regard to Capitol Hill, Sen Paul Simon (D-IL) has recently sent >a letter to President Clinton urging action. As I mentioned above, Rep >Tony Hall (D-OH) has also been interested. Beyond that, the two foreign >affairs committees, HIRC and SFRC, are contemplating hearings. Their >chairmen, Ben Gilman (R-NY) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) respectively, >should also be contacted. > >I hope that this information has been useful. Please do not hesitate to >contact me if you seek additional clarification or further information. > >Warm regards, > > >Thomas Baker >Head, Operations Policy, Planning and Evaluation >International Services > >

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