North Korea’s long-range rocket test failed; The Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty (DTCT) between US and UK enters into force;
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    • (April 9-15, 2012)

    According to reports, North Korea’s long-range rocket test ended in failure on April 13, 2012, disintegrating in mid air soon after blast off and plunging into the sea. The defiant launch drew condemnation from world leaders who described it as a “provocative” act that threatened regional security, despite Pyongyang insisting it was intended to put a satellite into orbit for peaceful purposes. The North admitted the satellite had failed to enter orbit and that “scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure.” The United States and its allies slammed the exercise as a disguised ballistic missile test that contravened United Nations resolutions triggered by Pyongyang’s two nuclear tests. White House spokesman Jay Carney said, “North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry”. United Nations Chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the launch as “deplorable” and said it “defies the firm and unanimous stance of the international community.” The debris fell into the Yellow Sea off South Korea, and its navy launched a salvage operation to retrieve the debris, despite warnings from Pyongyang last week not to attempt such an operation. 1

    In another development, reports noted that the Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty (DTCT) between the United States and the United Kingdom officially entered into force on April 13, 2012. The treaty, signed in 2007 and ratified in 2010, is intended to ease the export of defense articles between the two countries by reducing the need for export licenses and other International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) approvals for certain items. The treaty, which is the first of its kind, creates “approved communities” of government agencies and companies that may export and transfer certain U.S. Munitions List items for preapproved end-uses within the United States and United Kingdom and to locations where military operations are being conducted or supported, according to the State Department. The United Kingdom is already one of the United States’ biggest defense trading partners, accounting for more than $13 billion in authorized exports of defense articles and services from the United States in 2011, according to the State Department. The United States has signed and ratified a similar treaty with Australia, but it has not yet entered into force. 2

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