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Syria-bound ship free to go but not defence cargo
LONDON - A ship bound for Syria from North Korea that was detained in Cyprus is free to go but the fate of its impounded cargo of air defence systems is unknown, a source at the ships management firm said on Thursday.
Acting on an Interpol alert, Cypriot authorities stopped and detained the Panamanian-flagged Gregorio 1 in early September after officials thought the ship was involved in smuggling arms. Cyprus said it had found a batch of truck-mounted radar systems loaded in North Korea which they later identified as air defence systems, and a separate cargo of steel pipes. The managers of the vessel told Reuters the pipes were loaded in China. They also said the ships charterer was state-owned China Ocean Shipping Co. (COSCO).
| And the Chinese didn't know a thing about the air-defense systems, honest ... |
The source said the cargo identified as air defence systems and taken off the ship was still being held by customs, while the other cargo was free to proceed. She has been free to go since last Saturday...We just dont know where it will go yet, a source with the ships managers, Piraeus-based Transatlantic Maritime, told Reuters by telephone.
| How about a secure location at a U.S. naval base? We could 'inspect' it further. |
It could proceed to Syria eventually, but we need assurances it will not be harmed, stopped in any way.
| "Hello, Moshe? ... Yeah, that 'cargo' you were interested in? ... Yeah, it's sailing tonight ..." |
The P&I Club is deciding with Cosco ... and its owner what to do next. P&I Clubs insure the vast majority of the worlds merchant shipping and handle claims ranging from crew sickness to cargo damage. A court decision has still not been reached on what will happen to it, whether its free to go or not. Its up to the Cypriot authorities, he said of the air defence equipment.
Syria has since sought its release.
| Since NKor air defense radar is better than what they currently have. |
The defence-related cargo was seized because it was billed as meteorological equipment on the ships manifest.
Since it could pick up incoming shithailstorms ... |
In addition to the apparent discrepancy in paperwork, Cyprus says it should have been informed about any military hardware passing through its territorial waters.
Discovery of the shipment put the Mediterranean island in a bind because of the risk of upsetting friendly relations with Damascus.
Posted by: Steve White 2006-09-22 |
