Voice of America, Dec. 11, 2002

The White House says a ship seized in the Arabian sea with a cargo of 12 Scud missiles from North Korea has been released and allowed to continue to Yemen with its cargo.

Spokesman Ari Fleischer said the un-flagged ship So-San was released from U.S. naval custody Wednesday, after U.S. talks with Yemeni officials who had protested the seizure. He said senior U.S. officials determined that there is no provision prohibiting Yemen from accepting missiles from North Korea.

Mr. Fleischer said the United States has been given assurances from the Sa'naa government that it will not transfer the missiles to a third party. U.S. intelligence agencies had been tracking the ship since it left North Korean waters several weeks ago.

U.S. officials have defended the ship intercept, saying it was initially feared the missiles would end up in states sponsoring terrorism.

The United States has identified Yemen as a haven for terrorists, but Washington says the Yemeni government has been a partner in the fight against terrorism. U.S. military advisors have been assisting Yemeni authorities in the hunt for elements of the al-Qaida terrorist network.

President Bush has described North Korea as part of an "axis of evil" that could help terrorists acquire weapons of mass destruction. The United States is engaged in a diplomatic effort with China, Russia and Japan to convince North Korea give up its nuclear weapons program.