Posted on 05/31/2010 1:38:04 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Russian experts arrived in Seoul on Monday to review findings of an investigation that blamed North Korea for the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship, as the South sought to build support for U.N. punishment of the North.
If Russia endorses the multinational probe's conclusions, the move could convince China and other major powers to support possible U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang for the sinking two months ago of the Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors.
The South Koreans shared the investigation's findings with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last weekend before a summit, but Beijing has yet to blame North Korea or support any potential U.N. action against its longtime ally.
Wen is now in Japan, where he was expected to face more pressure to censure North Korea. On Monday, he met with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who said Tokyo strongly supports Seoul's plans to bring North Korea before the U.N. Security Council for sanctions or condemnation.
North Korea has denied sinking the ship and has said the multinational investigation — involving America, Britain, Sweden and Australia — was a biased probe conducted by South Korea's allies.
A Russian endorsement of the investigation could greatly contribute to the legitimacy of the conclusions. Like China, Moscow is a traditional North Korean ally and a veto-holding permanent council member.
The Russian team — including torpedo and submarine experts — arrived Monday and were to stay in South Korea for several days as they review the investigation results and examine the ship's wreckage, said a Defense Ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity citing department policy.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I am not getting my hopes high. They cannot even investigate their own submarine accidents properly.
Ping
I’d be surprised if the Russians won’t find but in their own favor. North Korea is their dog in this fight.
I expect they are really in Seoul to deliver a message and/or to exploit US and South Korean intelligence collection and analysis capability.
What a ridiculous sentence. The conclusions of the investigation are based on physical evidence. The political whims of the Russians don't change that.
Agreed, a “Russian endorsement” is BS. Like someone already pointed out, the Russians have a hard enough time investigating their own submarine incidents....
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