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UN: Azerbaijan violates embargo on trade in arms with North Korea
20:25 20/05/2013 » REGION
The UN report accuses Azerbaijan of violating the embargo on trade in
arms with North Korea. The report is prepared by the panel on
monitoring sanctions against North Korea of the UN Security Council,
the agency of "Ruskor" reports by the reference to `Associated Press'.
The report says that, `The panel also recommended sanctions against
the Hesong Trading Corporation, a subsidiary of the Korea Mining
Development Trading Corp., which was involved in trying to sell 70
North Korean portable anti-aircraft missiles to Azerbaijan. British
arms dealer Michael Ranger was convicted in July 2012 of attempting to
sell the missiles, and the panel also recommended that the U.N. put
his primary contact at Hesong, O Hak-Chol, on the sanctions list.
"There is an e-mail correspondence with his arms supplier in North
Korea. Ranger boasted that he was a guest of the Azerbaijani
government, where he was taken around by a prestigious limousine at
the time of the visit, while he was discussing the procurement of
missiles. He also told the American producer of pistols Berettas, that
in February 2010 he had received orders from the Ministry of Emergency
Situations of Azerbaijan after meeting with "two people who were
directly working with the president." This confirms Ranger's intention
to break the embargo," in the material states.
The UN report also point out a citizen of Kazakhstan who was involved
in supplying arms to North Korea.The panel said it had closed its
investigation into Thailand's seizure of an arms shipment from a plane
originating in North Korea in 2009 that was valued at over US$ 16
million. It recommended sanctions against Alexander Zykov of
Kazakhstan and Ukrainians Iurii Lunov and Igor Karev-Popov, who were
involved in the arms transfer.
Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry reacted on this information: "We have
noticed in media reports information about the possible involvement of
a citizen of Kazakhstan in violation of international sanctions
against North Korea. We would like to note that this information is
not confirmed. We would like to add that Kazakhstan has always
supported and supports the policy of non-proliferation of arms and is
always open for cooperation," said the spokesman of the Ministry
Nurjan Aytmahanov.
Zykov also personally responded to media reports: "I have the
documents proving my non-participation in this story and my innocence.
I reiterate: I have no relation with this scandal! In the end, I have
the right to defend my honor and dignity. If you insist that such a
thing happened, I will have to go to court," said Zykov in an
interview with "Vremya" on May 16.
He said that he does not work in aviation anymore. "I stopped aviation
business after the incident in Thailand. I will not deny that the
incident in Thailand has forced me to switch on to another activity.
This has undermined my nerves and knocked me out of the rut, but now
all that is left in the past. At least, I thought that it was left in
the past," Zykov said.
There is no information about the reaction of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry on this matter.
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian
20:25 20/05/2013 » REGION
The UN report accuses Azerbaijan of violating the embargo on trade in
arms with North Korea. The report is prepared by the panel on
monitoring sanctions against North Korea of the UN Security Council,
the agency of "Ruskor" reports by the reference to `Associated Press'.
The report says that, `The panel also recommended sanctions against
the Hesong Trading Corporation, a subsidiary of the Korea Mining
Development Trading Corp., which was involved in trying to sell 70
North Korean portable anti-aircraft missiles to Azerbaijan. British
arms dealer Michael Ranger was convicted in July 2012 of attempting to
sell the missiles, and the panel also recommended that the U.N. put
his primary contact at Hesong, O Hak-Chol, on the sanctions list.
"There is an e-mail correspondence with his arms supplier in North
Korea. Ranger boasted that he was a guest of the Azerbaijani
government, where he was taken around by a prestigious limousine at
the time of the visit, while he was discussing the procurement of
missiles. He also told the American producer of pistols Berettas, that
in February 2010 he had received orders from the Ministry of Emergency
Situations of Azerbaijan after meeting with "two people who were
directly working with the president." This confirms Ranger's intention
to break the embargo," in the material states.
The UN report also point out a citizen of Kazakhstan who was involved
in supplying arms to North Korea.The panel said it had closed its
investigation into Thailand's seizure of an arms shipment from a plane
originating in North Korea in 2009 that was valued at over US$ 16
million. It recommended sanctions against Alexander Zykov of
Kazakhstan and Ukrainians Iurii Lunov and Igor Karev-Popov, who were
involved in the arms transfer.
Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry reacted on this information: "We have
noticed in media reports information about the possible involvement of
a citizen of Kazakhstan in violation of international sanctions
against North Korea. We would like to note that this information is
not confirmed. We would like to add that Kazakhstan has always
supported and supports the policy of non-proliferation of arms and is
always open for cooperation," said the spokesman of the Ministry
Nurjan Aytmahanov.
Zykov also personally responded to media reports: "I have the
documents proving my non-participation in this story and my innocence.
I reiterate: I have no relation with this scandal! In the end, I have
the right to defend my honor and dignity. If you insist that such a
thing happened, I will have to go to court," said Zykov in an
interview with "Vremya" on May 16.
He said that he does not work in aviation anymore. "I stopped aviation
business after the incident in Thailand. I will not deny that the
incident in Thailand has forced me to switch on to another activity.
This has undermined my nerves and knocked me out of the rut, but now
all that is left in the past. At least, I thought that it was left in
the past," Zykov said.
There is no information about the reaction of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry on this matter.
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian