Word: pyongyang
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...tough words could potentially lead to open hostilities. Pyongyang has repeatedly said that it views any forced inspections of its fleets to be an act of war, and an angry North Korea could fire on ships seeking to inspect one of its vessels, launching attacks from other ships in its navy, from shore batteries or from missiles. "While North Korea's most recent aggression has not yet led to violent outbreaks in the region, such clashes are a distinct possibility in the near future," warned a report issued on June 16 by the Center for a New American Security...
...authorize the use of military force by navies conducting the interdictions, it does permit U.S. and allied warships to challenge vessels suspected of ferrying arms and nuclear components on the high seas. The international community, including traditional North Korean protector China, seems to be willing to try to thwart Pyongyang's nuclear proliferation efforts, as the New York Times first reported on June 16. "I've been talking with the Chinese since the late [1970s] about North Korea," former U.S. negotiator Evans Revere, now president of the Korea Society, told a Senate panel last week. Beijing's attitude is shifting...
Under last week's U.N. resolution, once the U.S. or its allies locate a suspect ship, they would then request permission from the North Korean government, not from the ship's crew, to come aboard to inspect its contents. The expected denial from Pyongyang would trigger a notification to the Security Council, which in turn would urge the North Koreans to direct the ship to a convenient port for inspection. Most North Korean ships lack the ability to travel long distances, meaning they pull into harbors relatively frequently for fuel and supplies. "There are many countries in the region that...
...Beijing has been humiliated by Pyongyang's latest provocations, which is why there may be hope that the U.N. Security Council will be able to up the ante by imposing tougher economic sanctions on Kim's regime. In April, after the missile launch, Beijing did not stand in the way when three North Korean companies were moved from a U.S. sanctions list to a U.N. sanctions list - meaning that all nations are obliged to cut off business ties to those companies. The breadth of the sanctions is now likely to be much wider: not only must China not run interference...
...North rebuffed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent invitation to return to the six-party talks. China, in the wake of the test, suspended all government exchanges with North Korea and could inflict considerable economic pain on Pyongyang by cutting off trade and fuel shipments. China now must decide whether or not, in truth, a nuclear North is against its core interests. And it must do so with the world watching closely...