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Russia makes first UN food donation - to North Korea
By Andrew Jack in Moscow and Andrew Ward in Seoul
Published: June 14 2003 5:00 / Last Updated: June 14 2003 5:00

Russia yesterday pledged $11m (€9m, £6.6m) of food aid to North Korea, in a significant gesture from Moscow that could help stave off a humanitarian crisis in the communist country this year.


The donation - Russia's first contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme - comes as North Korea is facing increased isolation because of its nuclear weapons programme.

James Morris, executive director of the WFP, hailed Russia's first donation as a "historic development" - coming just five years after Russia was itself receiving overseas food aid. "We are delighted to welcome one of the world's great nations into our family of donors," Mr Morris said.

Russian food aid to North Korea could reflect Moscow's desire to play a greater diplomatic role on the divided Korean peninsula. Moscow has close links to Pyongyang dating back to their days as cold war allies and the two countries share a short border.

Last week Alexander Losyukov, a senior Russian foreign ministry official with responsibility for the region, stressed that "no questions concerning North Korea can be resolved without the participation of Russia and taking into account its interests".

His comments came after growing indications that Moscow had been sidelined in talks concerning the nuclear stand-off, with Washington seeking five-party talks involving the US, North Korea, China, Japan and South Korea - but not Russia.

US officials have expressed disappointment that Russia has not used its influence on North Korea to push for a broader multilateral solution, through leverage including President Vladimir Putin's links to the country's leadership, and future economic plans including the construction of a rail link into Russia's far east and energy supplies.

Aid has steadily been withdrawn from about half the 6.4m needy people in North Korea targeted by the WFP over the past year. North Korea has lost out as donors have responded to increased demands from Afghanistan, Iraq and southern Africa.

A recent UN survey found that 42 per cent of young children and 30 per cent of mothers in North Korea were chronically malnourished, although these proportions had fallen since the country's mid-90s famine that killed more than 2m people.

The WFP said Russia's 400,000 tonnes contribution of wheat would help the WFP feed North Korea's most desperate people until October but 80,000 tonnes more was needed this year.

Russia will also make a $1m donation to Angola.