U.S. House seeks to declare North Korea a state sponsor of terrorismJune 17, 2016 - 12:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing to have North Korea designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, alongside Iran, Sudan and Syria, eight years after it was taken off the list to smooth the way for aid-for-disarmament negotiations that collapsed soon after, the Associated Press reports. The U.S. treats North Korea as a pariah for its record on many issues: nuclear weapons, human rights, cyberattacks and money laundering among them. But not for terrorism. A bill approved by a House committee Thursday, June 16 calls for the State Department to report to Congress within 90 days on whether a list of purported acts by North Korea, including assassinations of dissidents and weapons sales to militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, constitute support for international terrorism. It's the most serious effort yet by lawmakers to get North Korea redesignated, but the legislation still has to clear the full House and Senate, and there's little time left in the congressional calendar for passage. Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, the committee's top-ranking Democrat, said the bill would press the administration to conduct a review of the evidence against North Korea. He described the North as "reprehensible" but added, "there's a fine line as to whether they may or may not be a state sponsor of terrorism," AP says. If North Korea was redesignated, it would not necessarily have an economic impact. North Korea is already sanctioned to the hilt — including tough new U.S. measures imposed after a nuclear test explosion in January. The effectiveness of sanctions also requires cooperation from China, the North's main trading partner. But a terror designation would intensify Pyongyang's isolation and further entrench a U.S. policy of cranking up the pressure on Kim Jong Un's government until it agrees to restart negotiations about denuclearization. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. |