Calls countries the ‘chief enablers’ of Kim regime for illegal oil product exports to North Korea

Washington (July 12, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement about media reports that China and Russia exported refined petroleum products to North Korea in excess of the amounts permitted under United Nations Security Council Resolutions and U.S. sanctions.

“That China and Russia have been circumventing sanctions to support the North Korean regime is the height of irresponsibility,” said Senator Markey. “Sadly, those countries are further demonstrating that they are the chief enablers of Kim Jong Un and his continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programs through illegal transfers of refined petroleum products as well as the still legal Chinese crude oil exports.”

“Despite President Trump’s naïve assertion that negotiations are making progress, Kim Jong Un has yet to provide any tangible evidence that he is serious about denuclearization.”

“I fully support diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang, but the only way to peacefully reduce the threat is to ensure that direct, coherent, and fully-resourced U.S. engagement is backed by sufficient economic pressure. Both President Trump and the Chinese Foreign Ministry have signaled that maintaining pressure is no longer necessary. China and Russia must live up to their international responsibilities to help solve this problem and stop circumventing UN and U.S. sanctions.”

###