UN chief urges swift action
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Panama on Wednesday for seizing a DPRK ship carrying arms from Cuba, adding that the UN sanctions committee would promptly take up the issue.
"The secretary-general commends the action taken by Panama in full conformity with its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions," Ban's press office said.
It added that Ban, a former foreign minister from the Republic of Korea, "notes that it is the duty of all member states to implement Security Council decisions.
"The secretary-general awaits the outcome of the investigation into the matter in question and is sure the (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Security Council Sanctions Committee will promptly address it," the statement said.
Pyongyang is under UN sanctions for its repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Reuters
(China Daily 07/19/2013 page12)