7/12/2018

CHINA/ENERGY/NORTH KOREA/RUSSIA/SANCTIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The Trump administration asked a United Nations panel this week to ban oil-product sales to North Korea for the rest of the year, calling out China and Russia for exports Washington alleges have often been in violation of the international body’s sanctions against Pyongyang, according to people familiar with the matter. Chinese and Russian firms continue to help the pariah nation import oil products in excess of U.N.-mandated caps, including through previously sanctioned tankers, according to U.S. and U.N. officials and a declassified intelligence briefing prepared for the U.N.’s committee on North Korea sanctions and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Those alleged efforts undermine the U.S. and U.N. campaign to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program by relieving the sanctions pressure U.S. officials believe has helped bring the country to negotiate denuclearization with Washington. A representative for the Chinese government at the country’s embassy in Washington said China faithfully fulfills its international obligations. ‘China always implements all DPRK-related resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security Council in a serious and strict manner,’ the person said. Russian embassy staff didn’t respond to a request for comment.”

-Ian Talley, “U.S. Calls Out China, Russia on North Korea Energy Caps, Urges U.N. Action,” The Wall Street Journal, July 12, 2018 6:28 pm