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| China-Japan-Koreas | ||
| N Korea treats journalists 'well' | ||
| 2009-03-27 | ||
The United States says it has received assurances from North Korea that two American journalists who were detained there last week will be treated well.
The two who have been identified as Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, who work for Current TV in California. "The North has assured us that the detainees will be well treated," a US government spokesman, Robert Wood, told reporters. "We have formally requested, through our protecting power in Pyongyang, the Swedish embassy, that the Swedish government be provided with consular access to these two Americans," Mr Wood said. In Seoul, a South Korean daily, the JoongAng Ilbo, said on Tuesday that North Korean intelligence officials are questioning the journalists and would probably try to persuade them to confess to spying. Quoting a South Korean intelligence source, the paper said the pair were transported to a top-security guest-house on the outskirts of Pyongyang a day after they were seized before dawn on 17 March along the border with China. State Department officials said they do not know where the pair are being detained.
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| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #6 TOPIX > JAPAN GIVES MILITARY ORDERS TO SHOOT DOWN NORTH KOREAN MISSLE, + NORTH KOREA INVITES IRAN TO OBSERVE MISSLE LAUNCH. Also on TOPIX > US ADMIRAL: NORTH KOREAN ROCKET CAN REACH HAWAII. Looks like HAWAII'S "TEA PARTY" just found or discovered its CAUSE CELEBRE'??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-03-27 23:34 |
| #5 As opposed to "rare" or "medium"... |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-03-27 14:59 |
| #4 Huh, learnt something new. Thanks, tu3031! |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-03-27 14:39 |
| #3 In diplomatic usage, the term protecting power refers to a relationship that may occur when two countries do not have diplomatic relations. Either country may request a third party (with which each country has diplomatic relations) to act as the protecting power, using its "good offices". In the territory of the host country, the protecting power will be recognized by that state as empowered to represent the other country and protect its interests. This may extend to caring for the diplomatic property of its protectee or acting as consular officers on behalf of its citizens. The relationship and the legal status are recognized in international conventions on diplomatic and consular affairs, such as the Vienna Conventions. The practice is used when two countries have severed or suspended formal diplomatic ties for whatever reason (or never had them), including military or territorial disputes, and yet wish to retain some form of communication or means of conducting necessary business. Effectively, it is a means of maintaining diplomatic relations when those ties have been formally severed. Sweden is the protecting power for the United States, Australia and other Western countries in North Korea for consular matters, "with assistance from Germany as needed." Pakistan is the protecting power for Iran in the United States along with Switzerland. Oh, lovely... Belgium was the protecting power for the United States in Libya until 2006 when diplomatic relations were restored. Poland was the protecting power for the United States in Iraq after the first Gulf War. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-03-27 13:29 |
| #2 Apparently interrogation & attempts at forced confession are part & parcel of North Korean good treatment. What the hell is a "protecting power"? |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-03-27 09:55 |
| #1 The United States says it has received assurances from North Korea that two American journalists who were detained there last week will be treated well. They have already been fed - twice! - since they were captured. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-03-27 07:21 |