Spain making anti-piracy plans
2008-07-27 22:14
Madrid - Spain's Defence Minister Carme Chacon called on Sunday for an international naval force to be sent to Somalia's treacherous waters to protect fishing fleets from rampant piracy.
"Spain is ready to work for the immediate deployment of a multinational naval force in Somali waters to combat piracy," Chacon said in an interview with Spanish daily El Pais.
"We want it deployed as soon as possible because the fishing season is restarting."
The coastal waters of Somalia - which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity - are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world.
More than 25 ships were seized by pirates in Somali coastal waters last year, according to the International Maritime Bureau, a United Nations agency.
International pressure
In two high profile incidents back in April, pirates seized a Spanish tuna fishing boat carrying a crew of 26 off the Somali coast and a French luxury yacht with 30 on board in the Gulf of Aden. All were later released unharmed.
Spain and France subsequently brought international pressure to bear and the UN Security Council passed a resolution in June authorising member countries to send warships into Somali waters temporarily in pursuit of pirates.
The resolution, valid through to December, was backed by the government of Somalia, which has no naval capacity of its own to patrol its mammoth 3 700km coastline - the longest in Africa.
The United States has been leading existing patrols to combat piracy in Somali waters - using warships from an international force based in Djibouti.
The International Maritime Bureau says piracy worldwide is on the rise, with seafarers suffering 49 attacks between January and March this year - up 20% from 2007.
A fleet of Spanish tuna trawlers operates off the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Aden - a vital shipping route through which a significant percentage of the world's seaborne oil passes.