North Korean Company Gets Sanctioned, Cuba Gets Lectured
By Capitol Hill Cubans
july 29, 2014

Today, the U.N. Security Council ("UNSC") blacklisted Ocean Maritime Management Company, Ltd., the operator/manager of the North Korean vessel, Chong Chon Gang.

 As such, the company will be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban.

 The Chong Chon Gang was intercepted last year by the Panamanian authorities (as it approached the Canal) trying to smuggle 240 tons of weapons from Cuba to North Korea.

 A March 2014 report by the U.N.'s Panel of Experts on international sanctions highlighted the extent and gravity of this illegal Cuba-North Korea operation.

 According to today's announcement by the UNSC:

 "[Ocean Maritime Management Company, Limited] played a key role in arranging the shipment of concealed cargo of arms and related materiel from Cuba to the DPRK in July 2013. As such, it contributed to activities prohibited by the resolutions, namely the arms embargo imposed by resolution 1718 (2006), as modified by resolution 1874 (2009), and contributed to the evasion of the measures imposed by these resolutions."

In other words, the Kim regime will have a shadow company marginalized.

 (Of course, it could just open a replacement -- but something is better than nothing.)

Meanwhile, the Castro regime will (thus far) suffer no consequences -- other than a lecture.

 This, despite the fact that the U.N. Panel of Experts recognized the Castro regime intentionally lied to the international community about the weapons shipment.

 No word on whether this will be the only sanction issued pursuant to the Chong Chon Gang incident.

 But it's hard to fathom how the transport company gets sanctioned, while the supplier (and even the main purchaser) get away unscathed.

 U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, issued a strong and commendable statement (below), but it's unfortunately overshadowed by the tepid action of the UNSC.

It should be of no surprise that other North Korean vessels continue making similar trips to Cuba, while turning off their transponders to avoid detection.

 After all, who's there to be afraid of?

 The UNSC?

 Here's Ambassador Power's statement:

 "In July 2013, Panama seized arms aboard the vessel Chong Chon Gang that were en route from Cuba to North Korea, one of the most serious violations of the UN arms embargo on North Korea. This was a cynical, outrageous and illegal attempt by Cuba and North Korea to circumvent United Nations sanctions prohibiting the export of weapons to North Korea. That is why the Security Council's DPRK Sanctions Committee acted today to punish the North Korean regime for its latest attempt to side-step international law.

 Since the Chong Chon Gang incident, the Committee has undertaken a comprehensive investigation into the violation and uncovered irrefutable facts that clearly prove Cuba and the DPRK’s intentions to violate sanctions by employing highly sophisticated deception and obfuscation techniques, including Cuba’s false claims about the transaction being a routine repair effort when detected by Panamanian and UN authorities.

 With today’s welcome imposition of a global asset freeze on Ocean Maritime Management (OMM), the North Korean firm that operated the vessel, its fleet of shipping vessels will no longer be able to operate internationally. The designation of OMM sends an important message to the companies directly involved in violations of UN sanctions regimes: we will find you and hold you accountable.

 We also welcome the Committee's release of an Implementation Assistance Notice to publicize the facts of the case and advise states on how to protect themselves from future arms smuggling attempts. We are pleased that with this Notice, the international community has refuted Cuba's erroneous and misleading claim that this arms shipment was allowed under UN Security Council resolutions.

 The United States remains concerned about attempts by North Korea to circumvent international sanctions, and strongly condemns any efforts by nations such as Cuba to assist in the illegal evasion of binding decisions of the Council. We will remain vigilant in the enforcement of Security Council sanctions, and applaud the actions of Panama in this instance. Likewise, we applaud the cooperation and efforts of the DPRK Sanctions Committee and urge the Committee to do everything in its power to enforce the vital North Korean sanctions regime."

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Was Raul's Son-in-Law Involved in Cuba-North Korea Arms Trafficking?
By Capitol Hill Cubans
July 29, 2014

In March 2014, the U.N.'s Panel of Experts released a detailed report ("POE Report") of the Chong Chon Gang incident, which provided details of the illegal arms smuggling operation between Cuba and North Korea.

 The POE Report highlighted the military cooperation between Cuban and North Korean officials; explained the techniques used for international sanctions evasion; provided a detailed list of weapons and weapons systems onboard; revealed the "secret" instructions given to the ship's captain; the comprehensive, planned strategy to conceal the nature of the cargo; and exposed Cuba's false claims and subsequent cover-up attempts.

The one section not released in the POE Report was the "confidential annex" containing the list of Cuban and North Korean officials, and entities, involved.

 A month before the POE Report was released, it was leaked that there would be at least two sanction designations related to the Chong Chon Gang incident.

 Moreover, that China and Russia had opposed making the POE Report public.

 The latter was partially overcome. However, yesterday the U.N. Security Council's Sanctions Committee only blacklisted one entity, Ocean Maritime Management Company, Ltd., the operator/manager of the Chong Chon Gang.

 The "confidential annex" should also be made public and the U.N.'s Panel of Experts should release a list of all suspected Cuban and North Korean officials, and entities, involved in the shipment.

 According toThe Miami Herald:

 "One of the Cubans allegedly involved is Brig. Gen. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, in charge of several military enterprises and the port of Mariel, where the weapons were loaded on the freighter. He’s also a son-in-law of Cuban ruler Raúl Castro."

 If so, General Rodriguez Lopez-Callejas should be sanctioned.

 Note that, according to the POE Report, the Cuban regime refused to cooperate with the U.N.'s Panel of Experts -- citing confidentiality clauses in its business arrangements with Pyongyang.

 How's that for shady?

Image: Lopez-Callejas is second to the right, next to Raul Castro, receiving a briefing on the new Port of Mariel facility.

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