EU to offer emergency food aid to North Korea.

PYONGYANG, July 9 (Itar-Tass) - The European Union has agreed to
render food aid to North Korea, the North Korean Central News Agency
reported on Saturday.
The move will "help overcome food shortages in the country and will
promote mutual understanding and trust, and encourage cooperation between
the sides," the news agency says.
According to regional media, the European Union will send to North
Korea a batch of foodstuffs worth some 15 million U.S. dollars. Pyongyang
has agreed to let foreign observers supervise aid distribution inside the
country. The European Commission described it as an unprecedented step of
North Korea's authorities.
Following a series of natural calamities and a severe winter, which
killed the harvest, and due to the lack of funds, Pyongyang will not be
able to ensure grain imports to cover a deficiency of domestic foods,
European experts believe. Moreover, South Korea has refused to offer
humanitarian aid to its northern neighbor over a recent deterioration in
their relations.
The United Nations World Food Program is also offering emergency food
aid to 3.5 million North Korean children, pregnant women and nursing
mothers, and the elderly. According to experts, the measure will help to
prevent a food crisis which looming over North Korea.