*EPF203 12/30/2003
Text: Food Assistance for North Korea
(December 29 State Department statement) (190)

Following is the text of a question taken at the December 29 regular State Department briefing on food assistance for North Korea; an answer was posted later in the day:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

December 29, 2003

QUESTION TAKEN AT DECEMBER 29, 2003 DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

Food Assistance for North Korea

Question: What is the status of the food aid shipment for North Korea?

Answer: Planning efforts to determine types and quantities of additional assistance as well as procurement and delivery process will be finalized by U.S. government agencies over the next few weeks.

Decisions on food aid contributions are based on three criteria:

-- demonstrated need,
-- competing needs elsewhere, and
-- donor's ability to access all vulnerable groups and monitor distribution.

Details on delivery will be disclosed when available.

This shipment of 60,000 metric tons will fulfill the promised 100,000 metric tons of assistance promised by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell earlier this year and responds to a request from the World Food Program for additional aid to North Korea.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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