UN Council adopts new Somalia piracy resolution
Containing piracy: This handout photo shows some of the Somali pirates and some of the crewmembers on the upper deck aboard the Belize-flagged Ukrainian cargo MV Faina off of Somalia's Indian Ocean coast as seen from a US Navy ship recently. Picture: AFP
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
THE UN Security Council yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution urging states to deploy naval vessels and military aircraft to actively join the fight against rampant piracy off the coast of lawless Somalia.
Resolution 1838 "calls upon all states interested in the security of maritime activities to take part actively in the fight against piracy on the high seas off the coast of Somalia, in particular by deploying naval vessels and military aircraft."
The French-drafted text urges states with naval vessels and military aircraft operating on the high seas and airspace off the Somali coast "to use the necessary means, in conformity with international law ... for the repression of acts of piracy."
It again "condemns and deplores all acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels off the coast of Somalia."
France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert immediately welcomed the unanimous adoption of the text, saying it sends "a clear signal to the pirates."
"It states very clearly that you can use force against the pirates," he added, pointing out that European Union nations were preparing to launch an anti-piracy security operation off Somalia before the end of the year.
His South African counterpart Dumisani Kumalo said he voted in favour of the resolution but said the council was losing sight of the bigger picture in Somalia, referring to the unresolved civil war.
"The issue in Somalia is the conflict. Until you address the issue inside Somalia you will always have piracy," he told reporters.AFP
Resolution 1838 "calls upon all states interested in the security of maritime activities to take part actively in the fight against piracy on the high seas off the coast of Somalia, in particular by deploying naval vessels and military aircraft."
The French-drafted text urges states with naval vessels and military aircraft operating on the high seas and airspace off the Somali coast "to use the necessary means, in conformity with international law ... for the repression of acts of piracy."
It again "condemns and deplores all acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels off the coast of Somalia."
France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert immediately welcomed the unanimous adoption of the text, saying it sends "a clear signal to the pirates."
"It states very clearly that you can use force against the pirates," he added, pointing out that European Union nations were preparing to launch an anti-piracy security operation off Somalia before the end of the year.
His South African counterpart Dumisani Kumalo said he voted in favour of the resolution but said the council was losing sight of the bigger picture in Somalia, referring to the unresolved civil war.
"The issue in Somalia is the conflict. Until you address the issue inside Somalia you will always have piracy," he told reporters.AFP
Business Besides Oil
