North Korea - Gmail
North Korea
dale hess
8:39 AM (9 minutes ago)
to David, Sejin.pak8, davidjswain, Roger, Sue, Adrian, Rae, Wilma, Rowe, YM, Jo, David, Greg, Harold, Margaret, Margaret, Ronis, Shobha
Dear David,
Many thanks for visiting DFAT and for your report.
One thing that we would like further information about is seeds. What are the regulations regarding supplying seeds to North Korea. The Australian Government is no longer providing humanitarian aid, but are there specific regulations prohibiting us, as a non-governmental group, supplying seeds as humanitarian aid? If there are such regulations, what is the penalty for doing so?
We know that the United Nations reports that North Korea is presently unable to grow enough food to adequately nourish all of its people. Food security is an important issue in building peace. We have received a request from the Director of the Institute of Vegetable Science to explore what we can to do to promote the availability of a diversity of seed varieties.
Blessings,
Dale
From: David Purnell <davidpurnell68@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2018 8:37 AM
To: Sejin.pak8@gmail.com; davidjswain@gmail.com; 'Roger' <roger@sawkins.name>; Dale Hess <d.hess@ozemail.com.au>; Sue Ennis <sensa@bigpond.net.au>; 'Adrian Glamorgan' <eco4humanity@gmail.com>; 'Rae Litting' <raelitting@hotmail.com>; Wilma Davidson <wilma2010@live.com.au>; Rowe Morrow <rowemorrow@gmail.com>
Cc: YM <Secretary@quakersaustralia.info>; Jo Jordan (Juchniewicz) <jojordan@ozemail.com.au>; David Purnell <david.christine@iinet.net.au>; Greg Parkhurst <cooperparkhurst@bigpond.com>; Harold Wilkiinson <harold.wilkinson1@gmail.com>; Margaret Bearlin <margaretbearlin@gmail.com>; Margaret Clark <mlclark77@hotmail.com>; Ronis Chapman <ronis.chapman@gmail.com>; Shobha Varkey <shobhamvarkey@gmail.com>
Subject: North Korea
Dear Friends on the North Korea Working Group,
QPLC arranged a meeting with DFAT to follow up your report. Attached is a summary of our meeting. As you will see, they would appreciate further contact from any of you to give them further information and comments on current policies.
I have done a slightly amended version below that would be suitable for wider publication, as DFAT holds these meetings under ‘Chatham House’ rules which assume that quotes will not be attributed to particular individuals from the Department.
Regards,
David Purnell
============
Notes on meeting with officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) about North Korea, 7 December 2018.
Following the visit of a group of Australian Quakers to North Korea in October 2018, QPLC was asked to follow up with DFAT concerns about Australia’s current policies including sanctions and discouraging visits to North Korea. David Purnell, Ronis Chapman and Wilma Davidson attended the meeting. After introductions, David outlined the Quaker tradition of seeking ways to build peace, and spoke of the support given by QPLC to recent moves by North and South Korea to improve relations, and by the US and North Korean leaders at their summit in June. Ronis explained the role of FWCC as an accredited NGO at the United Nations, and her role as secretary of the Asia-West Pacific Section. She spoke of the longstanding links between Quakers and the Korean peninsula following the Korean War. She referred to the groups in Seoul and Daejon, South Korea, and the work of the American Friends Service Committee in developing people-to-people links through agricultural projects to support food security in North Korea.
Wilma gave an account of her experience on the recent Quaker study group that visited North Korea at the initiative of Sejin Pak, a Quaker from Adelaide who has family in both parts of Korea. The group was surprised by the number and range of tourists in the country, and the attention with which the Quaker group was received by local people. Wilma recalled visits to educational institutions, factories and farms, noting the evident energy and efficiency of the people despite significant resource limitations. Discussions with agriculture officials revealed the deleterious impact of sanctions on the availability of fuel and seeds.
David sought comments from DFAT on two particular issues – (a) the discouragement of Australians from visiting (as portrayed on the DFAT website), and (b) the humanitarian needs of the people of North Korea. In relation to (a), DFAT pointed out that Australians were free to travel to North Korea, but that the website reflected the caution that was needed in the light of some bad incidents for foreigners. In relation to (b) David tabled a recent appeal by 35 NGOs (including AFSC and FCNL) to the US government to ease the process by which humanitarian assistance could get to the people of North Korea. DFAT responded that Australia ceased humanitarian assistance a year ago when it became clear there was no way to monitor its effective delivery, and concern it may be diverted to non-humanitarian use. No official visit has been allowed by North Korea since 2016.
Speaking more generally, DFAT officers agreed that it would be desirable for things to change for the better for the people of North Korea, and said that the UN sanctions are aimed at the ‘elite’ of North Korea. Whilst the recent thawing of relations had been welcome, North Korea had still not taken concrete steps to denuclearize. Australia’s official policy was unlikely to change in the immediate future. At the same time they were pleased to hear of the Quaker trip, and offered to received any further reports from those who were on the group.
The meeting was valuable as an opportunity for us to give additional information to DFAT, and to raise questions about Australia’s approach. We were able to emphasise that Quakers want to see ways of enhancing links with North Korea as part of moving towards a more peaceful relationships between Australia and North Korea. We agreed that the discussion would be treated with mutual respect and not used for public campaigning.
Ronis Chapman, Wilma Davidson, David Purnell
December 2018
Please note that we are changing our email addresses and will shortly be closing david.christine@iinet.net.au.
Please update your contact details as follows:
David Purnell: davidpurnell68@gmail.com
Christine Larkin: christine.ashdance@gmail.com
===============
========================
Roger
8:45 AM (4 minutes ago)
to David, Sejin.pak8, davidjswain, Dale, Sue, Adrian, Rae, Wilma, Rowe, YM, Jo, David, Greg, Harold, Margaret, Margaret, Ronis, Shobha
Excellent, thanks David.
It occurs to me that you could ask the DFAT people if they would like to come to the presentation I am giving about the trip at the Canberra Meeting House on the Standing Committee weekend. The timetable presently says 12.30 to 1.00 on Sunday 20th, or I could do it another time for them? It is a Powerpoint with photos and videos and deals with our visit to the AFSC farm, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Research station as well as other tourist sites and issues.
Roger
=====================
From: David Purnell [mailto:davidpurnell68@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 December, 2018 7:37 AM
To: Sejin.pak8@gmail.com; davidjswain@gmail.com; 'Roger'; Dale Hess; Sue Ennis; 'Adrian Glamorgan'; 'Rae Litting'; Wilma Davidson; Rowe Morrow
Cc: YM; Jo Jordan (Juchniewicz); David Purnell; Greg Parkhurst; Harold Wilkiinson; Margaret Bearlin; Margaret Clark; Ronis Chapman; Shobha Varkey
Subject: North Korea
Dear Friends on the North Korea Working Group,
QPLC arranged a meeting with DFAT to follow up your report. Attached is a summary of our meeting. As you will see, they would appreciate further contact from any of you to give them further information and comments on current policies.
I have done a slightly amended version below that would be suitable for wider publication, as DFAT holds these meetings under ‘Chatham House’ rules which assume that quotes will not be attributed to particular individuals from the Department.
Regards,
David Purnell
Notes on meeting with officers of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) about North Korea, 7 December 2018.
Following the visit of a group of Australian Quakers to North Korea in October 2018, QPLC was asked to follow up with DFAT concerns about Australia’s current policies including sanctions and discouraging visits to North Korea. David Purnell, Ronis Chapman and Wilma Davidson attended the meeting. After introductions, David outlined the Quaker tradition of seeking ways to build peace, and spoke of the support given by QPLC to recent moves by North and South Korea to improve relations, and by the US and North Korean leaders at their summit in June. Ronis explained the role of FWCC as an accredited NGO at the United Nations, and her role as secretary of the Asia-West Pacific Section. She spoke of the longstanding links between Quakers and the Korean peninsula following the Korean War. She referred to the groups in Seoul and Daejon, South Korea, and the work of the American Friends Service Committee in developing people-to-people links through agricultural projects to support food security in North Korea.
Wilma gave an account of her experience on the recent Quaker study group that visited North Korea at the initiative of Sejin Pak, a Quaker from Adelaide who has family in both parts of Korea. The group was surprised by the number and range of tourists in the country, and the attention with which the Quaker group was received by local people. Wilma recalled visits to educational institutions, factories and farms, noting the evident energy and efficiency of the people despite significant resource limitations. Discussions with agriculture officials revealed the deleterious impact of sanctions on the availability of fuel and seeds.
David sought comments from DFAT on two particular issues – (a) the discouragement of Australians from visiting (as portrayed on the DFAT website), and (b) the humanitarian needs of the people of North Korea. In relation to (a), DFAT pointed out that Australians were free to travel to North Korea, but that the website reflected the caution that was needed in the light of some bad incidents for foreigners. In relation to (b) David tabled a recent appeal by 35 NGOs (including AFSC and FCNL) to the US government to ease the process by which humanitarian assistance could get to the people of North Korea. DFAT responded that Australia ceased humanitarian assistance a year ago when it became clear there was no way to monitor its effective delivery, and concern it may be diverted to non-humanitarian use. No official visit has been allowed by North Korea since 2016.
Speaking more generally, DFAT officers agreed that it would be desirable for things to change for the better for the people of North Korea, and said that the UN sanctions are aimed at the ‘elite’ of North Korea. Whilst the recent thawing of relations had been welcome, North Korea had still not taken concrete steps to denuclearize. Australia’s official policy was unlikely to change in the immediate future. At the same time they were pleased to hear of the Quaker trip, and offered to received any further reports from those who were on the group.
The meeting was valuable as an opportunity for us to give additional information to DFAT, and to raise questions about Australia’s approach. We were able to emphasise that Quakers want to see ways of enhancing links with North Korea as part of moving towards a more peaceful relationships between Australia and North Korea. We agreed that the discussion would be treated with mutual respect and not used for public campaigning.
Ronis Chapman, Wilma Davidson, David Purnell
December 2018
-----------
Please note that we are changing our email addresses and will shortly be closing david.christine@iinet.net.au.
Please update your contact details as follows:
David Purnell: davidpurnell68@gmail.com
Christine Larkin: christine.ashdance@gmail.com
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