Plan B Watch

Canada and Singapore have both imposed sanctions on North Korea:

Singapore Customs said in a statement Friday that exports or transit of any nuclear equipment or missile materials to North Korea will be banned as of Nov. 1. Trading with North Korea of luxury goods such as cigars, plasma televisions and motorboats also will be banned. It said items no longer traded to Iran will include low-enriched uranium and military hardware such as tanks, artillery and warships. [AP]

You know, I just have to wonder: does this mean that until now, Singapore Customs was waving shipments of low-enriched uranium right on through? In the case of Singapore, there are also new sanctions against Iran. That makes perfect sense, as Singapore is ideally located to be a transshipment point for cargo moving between Nampo and Bandar Abbas.

A Singapore Customs statement said the Southeast Asian city-state wouldn’t allow companies to trade in a host of military-related items with Tehran and Pyongyang, as part of its “continuous commitment to international obligations.” Singapore will also halt trade in perfumes, luxury cars, watches with precious metals, art and jewelry to North Korea, the statement read. [….]

Singapore’s announcement comes hours after Canada announced it was cutting ties with North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean ship earlier this year. Ottawa is also drafting additional sanctions against North Korea that would prohibit all imports and exports, new investments by Canadians, transfers of technology, and the provision of financial services to North Korea, Agence France-Presse reported. [Dow Jones Newswire]

In the case of Canada, the sanctions are also diplomatic.

[Canadian] Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon will reveal details of the sanctions, which come on top of controls unveiled earlier this year by Canada. There will be reduced trade and investment with North Korea, and Canada’s already fragile diplomatic relations with the country — there is no Canadian ambassador in the country — will be downgraded further. [Canada.com]