http://www.geostrategy-direct.com
Bush executive order targets strategic assistance to Iran, N. Korea and Syria The Bush administration has decided to increase penalties for those assisting the militaries or defense agencies of Iran, North Korea and Syria. Officials said the administration has approved a plan that would freeze the U.S. assets of anybody that conducts business with weapons entities in Iran, North Korea and Syria. In the first stage of the plan, the administration would target those who assist the missile programs of the three countries. "The focus would be on stopping the supply of dual-use components to these entities," an official said. President Bush signed the executive order on June 28 that freezes the assets of anybody found to have engaged with eight unidentified entities in Iran, North Korea and Syria. All but one of the entities were deemed as being responsible for ballistic missile development or procurement. Officials said the executive order would seek to reflect recommendations of a presidential commission headed by Lawrence Robb and Charles Silberman that examined ways to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. One such recommendation contained in the March 2005 commission report called for the expansion of an existing executive order that would enable the Treasury Department to "block the assets of persons and entities who provide financial support to proliferation." "The Robb-Silberman Commission had a number of different recommendations concerning efforts to stop the spread of WMD," State Department spokesman Scott McCormack said on June 27. "We're taking a look at those recommendations and I would expect that in the near future we'd have more to say about those recommendations." Officials said Iran, North Korea and Syria closely cooperate in missile development and procurement. Iran has transferred to North Korea the Kh-55 long-range cruise missile acquired from the Ukraine in 2001. The Kh-55 was believed to have undergone reverse engineering in Pyongyang in a process expected to boost the missile program in Teheran. The administration effort does not target nuclear weapons. On June 24, more than 40 countries from the Nuclear Suppliers Group agreed on measures to prevent nuclear proliferation and to halt "nuclear transfers to countries that are non-compliant with their safeguards agreements." Officials said the reference was to Iran and North Korea. The Washington Post reported on June 27 that four of the entities targeted by the White House are based in Iran and include the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency. Three others are in North Korea and one in Syria. Under the draft executive order, entitled "WMD Proliferation Financing Executive Order," U.S. nationals would be banned from engaging with any of these entities. Currently, none of the entities has been subject to international sanctions. Officials acknowledged that the entities largely engage in the procurement of dual-use rather than purely military components. The target of the draft executive order would be European and Chinese companies or agencies. Officials envisioned a scenario in which European banks or Chinese and Japanese companies that conduct business with these agencies would have their U.S. assets frozen. Officials said Bush ordered the draft executive order after he was sworn in for a second term. They said the president wanted to increase intelligence and sanctions on missile and nuclear weapons proliferators and their facilitators. Russia was expected to become a key target of the administration's policy. The Russian government and companies have been suppliers of dual-use equipment to the military programs of Iran. On June 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin said U.S. sanctions meant to stop Iran's missile program were damaging Moscow's space industry. Putin was referring to the Iran Non-Proliferation Act, which has resulted in a U.S. embargo of Russia's space industry. "Our programs with Iran are transparent, open and controlled by the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]," Putin told a U.S. business delegation. "And so there is no lack of understanding, no mutual reproach or suspicion in respect of the Iranian leadership." -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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