Panama Slaps N. Korean Arms-Smuggling Ship With Hefty Fine

Forum Contacts RSS		RUSSIAN

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED August 26, 2013

The Panama Canal authority has decided to impose an up to $1 million fine on a North Korean ship seized in July on suspicion of illegal arms-trafficking, the Latin American media reported Thursday.

Officials boarded the Chong Chon Gang freighter on July 10 as it entered the Panama Canal and discovered 25 undeclared containers with military hardware covered by sacks of brown sugar from Cuba.

“It is a flagrant violation of safe passage through the Panama Canal and we have no tolerance for this kind of activity," the media quoted canal administrator Jorge Quijano as saying.

According to Quijano, the case of the North Korean freighter “is very serious” and it could lead to a fine of up to $1 million, although the authorities are still discussing the actual size of the fine.

Panama has earlier charged the ship’s captain and 35 crew members with "attempts against Panama's security" and "illegally transporting undeclared military equipment."

A group of experts from the UN Security Council committee that monitors sanctions against North Korea has arrived in Panama to determine whether the freighter violated a UN arms embargo imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

Both Pyongyang and Havana had admitted that the ship carried obsolete weapons to be repaired in North Korea and returned to Cuba under a legitimate contract. The sugar was intended as the payment from Cuba to North Korea for repair services.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the vessel had two anti-aircraft missile complexes, nine missile parts and spares, two Mig-21 Bis and 15 motors for those planes, all manufactured in the mid-20th century.

Topics: DPRK

Other news:

China Offers Russia Floating Nuke Plant Joint Project

It was proposed that a joint venture should be established with investments from both sides.

Russia Eyes Nuclear Power Project in Finland – Source

A government source told RIA Novosti.

The transaction on consolidation of a 100% stake in Uranium One Inc. by ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. has received court approval and regulatory approval

The transaction on consolidation of a 100% stake in Uranium One Inc. by ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. has been approved both by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Canada, and regulators in Russia, Australia and the USA.

Hero of the day

Jacques Repussard: knowledge, independence, proximity

They told me: "Mr Repussard, we're not used to responding to anti-nuclear organisations". To which I replied: "We will not reveal any state or trade secrets, but we will not leave them without any answer".

INTERVIEW

Georgy Toshinsky
Not quite so. The authors of the concept, which was difficult to be realized in practice, turned to a clearer concept of a standing wave reactor (TP-1) that in principle allows finding the solution to the tasks stated for TWRs.

OPINION

Alexander Yakovenko
The preparatory committee for the 2015 NPT review conference took place in Geneva on April 22-May 3. Russia views strengthening the NPT regime as a crucial task and considers it a foreign policy priority.