U.S. attempt to politicize food aid under fire
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The United States, distorting the reality, insists that food aid to the DPRK is possible only when it opens even the areas to which it is not delivered. This cannot be construed otherwise than a sinister intention to use the humanitarian aid as a political leverage. A spokesman for the DPRK Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee said this when answering a question put by KCNA today over the growing international voices critical of the U.S. attempt to politicize the food aid to the DPRK. He said:In the wake of the DPRK visit of the special envoy of the un secretary general in mid-January to study its food situation there is a rapidly growing international opinion accusing the U.S. of its attempt to politicize the food aid.
The western media and even leading media in the U.S. are underscoring the importance of observing the principle of distinguishing humanitarianism from politics and the need to render food aid to the DPRK. They are accusing the bush administration of calling for "strict conditions" in resuming humanitarian food aid to the DPRK, charging that it is going to use food as a political leverage to settle the nuclear crisis.
This is a correct assessment.
The U.S. has so far asserted more than once that the food aid to the DPRK has nothing to do with the nuclear issue.
As the confrontation between the DPRK and the U.S. has reached the extremes over the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula it is, however, talking about "the opening of the whole country" as a precondition for resuming the food aid.
This can not be construed otherwise than a subterfuge to cover up its sinister political aim to use the food aid as an economic lever to pressurize the DPRK and stifle it.
As far as the "opening of the whole country" is concerned, the DPRK saw to it that food distributions are watched in all areas to which food aid is delivered.
It is true that access to some sensitive areas of the country is restricted due to the peculiarities of the situation on the Korean Peninsula but it is not the first time that such problem was raised.
The WFP and other aid organizations expressed understanding of it and have implemented the aid projects as scheduled after concluding comprehension letter with the DPRK every year.
No attempt to misuse the noble humanitarian idea for attaining its sinister political goal can be justified.
