19 July 2013

UN to inspect Cuban shipment held in Panama, US assisted in seizure

The Panamanian Foreign Ministry announced that a five-member team of UN experts will inspect the Cuban weapons shipment that was seized last week in Panama on suspicion of carrying weapons to North Korea in violation of the UN arms embargo.

Although Panama has claimed to have acted on its own, American sources have reportedly confirmed that US intelligence was used, and the seizure has received strong support from the US. The US, operating the Panama Canal until 1999, has declined to comment on the details of the case, but security experts say the US likely assisted Panama in the operation.

Source: Reuters | U.S. concerned over North Korean arms ship, Panama awaits U.N.

14 March 2013

France and UK ready to arm Syrian rebels

France and the United Kingdom made announcements that the two States were considering bypassing the European Union (EU) arms embargo in order to arm Syrian rebels. The EU is set to discuss its embargo again in May.

Source: BBC | France, UK 'may bust Syria arms ban'

16 April 2012

German ship carrying arms to Syria diverted

A German owned ship suspected of carrying arms for the Syrian military was diverted about 80 km southwest of the Syrian port of Tartus. The ship was chartered by a Ukranian company and purportedly loaded the arms in Dijbouti. Syria is currently under an arms embargo imposed by the European Union.

Source: Euronews | Germany investigates report ship carrying arms to Syria