G. whereas on 12 January 2012 it was reported that a Russian ship, allegedly carrying arms and/or munitions destined for the Syrian government had reached Syria after having been inspected in Cypriot waters off Limassol; whereas the ship, destined for the Syrian port city of Latakia, was reportedly prevented by Cypriot customs from continuing its journey because of its suspected cargo; whereas Cypriot custom officials were unable to open four containers on the ship, it was concluded they contained ‘dangerous cargo’ – i.e. arms and m ...[+++]unitions; whereas the Cypriot Foreign Ministry confirmed that the ship was allowed to continue its journey after the crew of the ship and its Russian owners ‘provided assurances’ that it would not head for Syria; whereas the ship is believed to have set off from St Petersburg in early December 2011;

B. whereas in the days preceding the interception Israeli officials had made efforts to encourage the flotilla to deliver all of its cargo at the Israeli port of Ashdod where it would be inspected to ensure that the cargo did not include weapons or other materials that were banned under the terms of the blockade, whilst all genuine humanitarian aid would be transported over land directly to Gaza under the observation of humanitarian aid workers,

33. Urges China to cease its ongoing support for Myanmar, which violates internationally recognised human rights standards, and considers that harmonious development of bilateral relations between the EU and its Member States and China will be jeopardised if it is confirmed that the PRC is providing huge quantities of weapons to the Myanmar Government, including a shipment of artillery canons that was recently (beginning of November) seen crossing the China-Myanmar border, despite the strong international concern and pressure on the PRC not to provide weapons to the Myanmar military regime;

2. Particular attention shall be given to the relationship between vehicle theft and the illegal vehicle trade and other forms of crime, such as trafficking in drugs, firearms and human beings, robbery and the theft of vehicle loads .

(6) Vehicle crime may also be linked internationally to other forms of crime, such as trafficking in drugs, firearms and human beings, robbery and the theft of vehicle loads .

Being convinced that there is a need to deter, prevent, and interdict any terrorist attempts to disrupt global trade by concealing terrorist weapons in global sea-container trade or other shipments, or by using such shipments as weapons.