National News U.S. allows N.Korean ship with Scud missiles to proceed to Yemen

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The United States agreed to release a North Korean ship carrying Scud missiles Dec. 11, which Yemen said were intended for its army but which Washington had feared could end up in the hands of a "terrorist nation."

The release of the ship, the So San, appeared to defuse a potentially explosive situation in a region where tensions have been high since the United States made clear it was prepared to go to war with Iraq over its suspected weapons of mass destruction.

The So San, intercepted by Spain in the Arabian Sea on Dec. 9 and handed over to the United States, was allowed to continue its voyage to Yemen after Washington decided the missile shipment was not breaking the law

"There is no provision under international law prohibiting Yemen from accepting delivery of missiles from North Korea," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said

"While there is authority to stop and search, in this instance there is no authority to seize a shipment of Scud missiles from North Korea to Yemen, and therefore the merchant vessel is being released," he said

Scuds are a crude, Soviet-designed ballistic missile that can carry nuclear, chemical or biological warheads.

Yemen gave Washington assurances that it would not transfer these missiles to anyone, and that the missiles were destined only for its army

There were initial concerns the shipment would be delivered to a "potential terrorist nation," Fleischer said

U.S. officials believed they had a promise from Yemen last August not to buy any more Scuds from North Korea. They said the Yemenis told them this is the last shipment from a long-term contract to purchase missiles

The United States would still, however, seek to answer why the missiles were hidden inside the ship and why the ship was not flying a flag of identification. But the fact that they took those steps was "not a violation of anything," Fleischer said.

北朝鮮船ミサイル、イエメンへ

9日、イエメン沖で北朝鮮の貨物船からスカッドミサイル10数基が発見され、緊張が高まった。後にミサイルはイエメンが正式発注したものと分かり、11日、船は解放された。

Shukan ST: Dec. 20, 2002

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