N. Korea ship to Cuba “violated arms embargo,” Panama says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Panama says an undeclared Cuban weapons cargo found on a North Korean ship is an "undoubted violation" of the United Nations' arms embargo on Pyongyang, BBC News reported.

A draft report by UN experts sent to Panama after the seizure of the ship in July confirmed a breach of sanctions, the ministry of public security said.

Two North Korean diplomats are in Panama to assist the ship's 35 crew.

Cuba said it shipped the arms to North Korea for repair. It did not say why they were hidden under tonnes of sugar.

A source in the public security ministry said authorities had been given a first draft of the report compiled by UN sanctions panel experts, the AFP news agency reports.

The ship, the Chong Chon Gang, was seized on suspicion it was carrying drugs. The vessel had been navigating the Panama Canal.

Officials found 25 containers of military hardware, including two Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter aircraft, air defence systems, missiles and command and control vehicles.

The statement from the Panamanian public security ministry was released after the North Korean diplomats - from the country's mission in Havana - visited the crew members at a former military base.