SUBJECT: UAE SEIZES BAHAMAS-REGISTERED VESSEL CARRYING NORTH KOREAN ARMS TO IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000528 STATE FOR WHA/CAR DESK OFFICER JOSLYN MACK-WILSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019 TAGS: BF ECON PGOV PREL ETRED SUBJECT: SUBJECT: UAE SEIZES BAHAMAS-REGISTERED VESSEL CARRYING NORTH KOREAN ARMS TO IRAN Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) United Arab Emirates officials seized the Bahamas-flagged ANL Australia several weeks ago after discovering various heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades, onboard. Local media report that the ship was destined for Iran. The incident puts North Korea and Iran in direct violation of UN resolution 1974, which bans arms exports from North Korea. Bahamas Maritime Authority officials in Nassau said that a call from EconOff was the first they had heard of the incident and noted that Bahamian regulations prohibit registered vessels from carrying arms. ¶2. (U) The seizure highlights the liabilities The Bahamas faces as the third largest ship registry in the world and the challenge of ensuring over 1700 flagged vessels maintain full compliance with international laws. ZUNIGA-BROWN