UN report leaks showing North Korea is actively selling nuclear material and technology to Iran, Burma, Syria

[Humodour]

Oh geez, who next? Cuba and Fiji? **** that's all we need, every tinpot dictator possessing a handful of nukes.

 

And I can't see how this will make China's position any more defensible.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/2...lear-technology

 

International efforts to avert a full-blown crisis on the Korean peninsula were given greater urgency today after a leaked UN report claimed that North Korea is defying UN sanctions and using front companies to export nuclear and missile technology to Iran, Syria and Burma.

 

The report, by a panel that monitors sanctions imposed after Pyongyang conducted nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and 2009, said the regime was using shell companies and overseas criminal networks to export the technology.

 

The revelations came just hours before the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, arrived in South Korea for a three-day visit certain to be dominated by mounting tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.

 

At a meeting today, Wen told the South Korean president Lee Myung-bak that China would not "harbour" anyone over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, in which 46 soldiers died.

 

But he added that China has not yet concluded that North Korea was responsible. Pyongyang has denied involvement

 

According to a South Korean official, Wen said: "China objects to and condemns any act that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula."

 

China, the North's closest ally and main benefactor, has so far refused to condemn the Pyongyang regime after a multinational investigation concluded that a North Korean torpedo sank the Cheonan.

 

Analysts say Beijing is unlikely to support any UN security council moves against North Korea, but might be persuaded to abstain on a resolution rather than wield its veto.

 

Wen and Lee will continue talks tomorrow, at a three-way summit that will also include the Japanese prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama. A spokesman for Lee said South Korea was "fully concentrating on diplomatic efforts to hold North Korea responsible".

 

However, experts said China's options were limited, given its desire to defuse tensions and avoid sparking a political and humanitarian crisis in its own backyard.

 

"China has its own strategic stake in the Korean peninsula, and if North Korea is further isolated or sanctioned, that would escalate tensions and risk serious instability," said Prof Wei Zhijiang of Zhongshan University in southern China.

 

The sanctions report, leaked to journalists in New York, said UN bans on nuclear and ballistic missile technology, and on all arms exports and most imports, were having an effect. But it conceded the North had found ways to circumvent sanctions using companies and individuals who are not subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

 

The 47-page report contains a long list of sanctions violations reported by UN member states, including four cases of arms exports.

 

Pyongyang, the panel said, had used "a number of masking techniques," including falsely labelling the contents of shipping containers and giving inaccurate information about their origin and destination.

 

North Korea was using "multiple layers of intermediaries, shell companies and financial institutions" to get around sanctions, it added.

 

An unnamed western diplomat based at the UN said: "The details in the report are not entirely surprising. Basically it suggests that North Korea has exported nuclear and missile technology with the aid of front companies, middlemen and other ruses."

 

The report said the regime had tried to conceal arms exports by sending items in kit form to be built at their destination, and called on recipient countries of North Korean cargo to act with "extra vigilance".

 

Pyongyang is also suspected of using overseas criminal groups to transport and distribute "illicit and smuggled cargoes", possibly including parts for weapons of mass destruction.

 

In response to the sinking, South Korea froze trade with the North, resumed propaganda broadcasts across the border and announced joint naval exercises with the US.

 

The North retaliated by severing ties with its neighbour, expelling South Korean officials from a joint industrial venture and banning the country's aircraft from its airspace. It also ditched an agreement designed to prevent naval clashes and threatened to attack any South Korean vessel entering its waters.

Edited May 29, 2010 by Krezack

[Walsingham]

I thought it was fairly common knowledge that N Korea was exporting nuke and missile tech.

[Humodour]

I thought it was fairly common knowledge that N Korea was exporting nuke and missile tech.

 

Well I had certainly forgotten!

[Volourn]

Common belief but not commonn knowledge since there was no real 'proof'.

[HoonDing]

Could somebody please invade this country already?

[Hurlshort]

Considering their successes with actually launching missiles, they might be doing us a favor.

[Gorgon]

Could somebody please invade this country already?

It all sounds so good in the planning phase, and then 10 years later we are still picking up the pieces.

[Orogun01]

Could somebody please invade this country already?

It all sounds so good in the planning phase, and then 10 years later we are still picking up the pieces.

Planning? I though we were gonna nuke them.

[ramza]

The UN is a joke just as is every international organization. I would never trust them... It's just another excuse for the US to start a war... We al know the power of lobbies (I have witnessed it with my own eyes, they can overthrow anything).

 

Remember the Swine flu pandemic? The WHO threw the whole world into panic so that the big pharmaceutical companies may make big profits. They are keeping low profiles now that the job is done...

 

Same goes for the UN, half of its resolutions remains non effective (ie: the case of Israel) and representatives of some of the worst dictatorships get nominated at high positions (ie: Lybian representative nominated as a member of the UN Human Rights Council).

 

It's a useless organization that has lost all credibility...

Edited May 29, 2010 by ramza

[Volourn]

"It's just another excuse for the US to start a war..."

 

That don't make sense. the UN isn't the US.

 

I agree with it being near useless but it is no US mouthpiece. In fact, oftentimes, it seems to me, the UN is sued byc ertain countries to push an anti US/Isreal agenda than actually accomplsihing thing.

 

Like you said, some of the apointments to certain positions are head scratching at best.

[Humodour]

The UN is a joke just as is every international organization. I would never trust them... It's just another excuse for the US to start a war... We al know the power of lobbies (I have witnessed it with my own eyes, they can overthrow anything).

 

Remember the Swine flu pandemic? The WHO threw the whole world into panic so that the big pharmaceutical companies may make big profits. They are keeping low profiles now that the job is done...

 

Same goes for the UN, half of its resolutions remains non effective (ie: the case of Israel) and representatives of some of the worst dictatorships get nominated at high positions (ie: Lybian representative nominated as a member of the UN Human Rights Council).

 

It's a useless organization that has lost all credibility...

 

You're such a crazy.

[Tigranes]

No, ramza's right, I played Alpha Protocol...

[Walsingham]

The UN is precisely as efficient and effective as its membership suggests. That is 70% of the members haven't figured out basic plumbing, and have violent corrupt and partisan political cultures.

 

ramza... if the UN was a US run mechanism, how come it never lets the US do what it wants to do?

[Wrath of Dagon]

Iran just got elected to the UN women's rights committee, think about that.

[Gorgon]

We have to give them something, you know let them get a feel for what democracy is all about. How else are they going to learn

[Wrath of Dagon]

I can't tell if you're joking or not.

[I want teh kotor 3]

The UN is precisely as efficient and effective as its membership suggests. That is 70% of the members haven't figured out basic plumbing, and have violent corrupt and partisan political cultures.

 

ramza... if the UN was a US run mechanism, how come it never lets the US do what it wants to do?

 

 

Iran just got elected to the UN women's rights committee, think about that.

 

:lol:

:lol:

:lol:

[Walsingham]

Iran just got elected to the UN women's rights committee, think about that.

 

Hold on. Fair play to them. Women have a far more dynamic role in Iran than in many other countries. And I don't just mean Islamic countries. I'm not saying its a great role, but if you want to move things forward you have to involve all sorts in the process.

[Volourn]

"Women have a far more dynamic role in Iran than in many other countries."

 

Sureee... Which countries are you comapring it to? One like Saudi Arabia?

 

 

"I'm not saying its a great role, but if you want to move things forward you have to involve all sorts in the process."

 

You coan be a aprt of the process of it without 'leading' it which from the sounds of it is what this position is supposedly deisgned for. This is an epic fail on the part of those countries who voted for Iran in this case.

 

Don't you find to argue otherwise with a straight face that Iran deserves this position?

[Walsingham]

*sigh*

 

Sure, we'll advance women's rights by refusing to involve anyone who isn't already good with women's rights. Whatever you say.

[Volourn]

Since when do you need to be on this committee to have a say on human's rights? That's ridiculous. Iran can still be involved in disussions without being on this committee.

 

I'd argue that those countries sititng on the committee should be willing to lead by example which Iran, obviously, currently doesn't.

 

Don't be an Iranian apologist.

[Walsingham]

Don't be an Iranian apologist.

 

Oh yeah. That's me. I'm a pinko terrorist sympathiser.

[Orogun01]

Even if they were on the committee, what could they bring to it? They are still in the middle of changing viewpoints about women and their equality. They have an obvious cultural bias.