By While at the same time the North Koreans are busy launching their charm offensive, they are also continuing to smuggle weapons in obvious violatoin of UN sanctions against the country:
The United Arab Emirates has seized a ship carrying North Korean weapons to Iran in violation of a United Nations arms embargo imposed after Pyongyang’s nuclear test in May, diplomatic sources said Friday.
“The UAE government has notified the U.N. Security Council sanctions committee of its seizure of a North Korean ship heading to Iran in violation of a U.N. resolution,” a diplomat at the South Korean mission to the United Nations here said.
U.N. Resolution 1874, adopted after North Korea’s second nuclear test in May that followed one in 2006, bans North Korea from conducting any nuclear and ballistic missile tests while imposing an overall arms embargo, financial sanctions and cargo interdiction on the high seas to prevent proliferation of North Korean missiles and nuclear and other weapons. [Yonhap]
CNN is reporting that the incident happened in early August and may not be the only time the North Koreans have violated the UN sanctions against arms smuggling. Does anyone find it interesting that when North Korea was acting belligerent that the US news media was following every movement on the Kang Nam I as it was tailed by the US Navy, but here is a North Korean boat that some how got all the way to UAE without the Navy following it and the US media has hardly mentioned this story. So why isn’t anyone asking why the US Navy wasn’t following this ship? Speaking of this ship One Free Korea was able to find a picture of the ship that is named the ANL Australia, which is a ship much larger than the Kang Nam I:
One Free Korea of course has a whole lot more excellent commentary on this latest clear violation of UN sanctions by the North Koreans. OFK was able to find an article that says that the North Koreans were smuggling conventional arms to Iran. Like OFK I find this hard to believe considering that the Iranians can manufacture their own conventional arms. OFK believes they could be smuggling sophisticated Russian-designed Kornet antitank missiles, which leads me to wonder if North Korean arms being smuggled to the Iranians is ultimately being used to kill Americans in Iraq?
Finally if it makes anyone feel better the UN sanctions committee is supposed to be holding a meeting over this latest North Korean violation. You can of course watch the Hans Brix video here.
1:35 pm on August 28th, 2009 1
ANL Australia… heh heh… he said,"ANL". Heh heh.
3:57 pm on August 28th, 2009 2
How can you be so sure that the US Navy (or more appropriately the US Intelligence community) wasn't following this boat?
11:07 pm on August 28th, 2009 3
If the US Navy was following the ship where was the breathless media reporting? The US government used the media during the Kang Nam I incident to put pressure on other governments to not allow the ship to dock. A ship the size of the ANL Australia had to refuel somewhere, where was it?
I think the Navy isn't following any of the North Korean ships because they are now behaving and the government may not want to do anything to upset them when it appears relations are improving.
1:10 am on August 29th, 2009 4
The US intelligence community watches NK's maritime activities 24/7 like an eagle eye ~ regardless of the state of affairs.
The Navy is the service that has the experts in maritime related matters, however, it is not out there on the high seas physically tracking NK vessels. There are much more efficient means for doing that.
10:23 am on August 29th, 2009 5
I know they track the ships, but the followed the Kang Nam I and made a media spectacle out of it for a reason. Why isnt' the Navy following North Korean ships anymore?
11:33 am on August 29th, 2009 6
Not following because the two "reporters" were freed. Could have been a deal made. Stop shadowing us (DPRK), and the reporters can go. I am not a believer in the benevolance of North Korea.
1:07 pm on August 29th, 2009 7
So here we are poor old Australia the largest Island continent with one of the largest shipping tasks on earth on our knees to the fag of convenience shippers of shame. just shows what over ten years of right wing rule will do to a country, bring us to our knees, how low can we go.Bring back Australian Shipping Now Labor and stop copping it were the sun don't shine
2:16 pm on August 29th, 2009 8
I don't think I can state it more clearly than I already have. So I can only repeat myself: The US intelligence community watches NK's maritime activities 24/7 like an eagle eye ~ regardless of the state of affairs. This isn't conjecture on my part – it's a straight up fact.
Only because it isn't being broadcast on the nightly news doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Does anyone really think that North Korea doesn't realize its every maritime move isn't being watched? And would North Korea make a deal saying "We know you watch us – and understand that's how things work. We'll let the reporters go if you agree not to publicize the fact that you're always watching us. OK?"
2:21 pm on August 29th, 2009 9
make that:
Does anyone really think that North Korea doesn't realize its every maritime move "IS" being watched?
10:18 am on August 30th, 2009 10
I wonder why this is only coming out now. You would think they would have reported this when it happened to strengthen the case against North Korea.