Somalia agrees to anti-piracy measures off its shores

[General Duke]

Somalia agrees to anti-piracy measures off its shores

Posted : Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:20:00 GMT

 

New York - Somalia's President Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed said Wednesday he would authorize international measures to fight pirates on high seas that have seized relief goods and recently a French luxury ship and passengers off the Somalian coasts. Ahmed attended a UN Security Council's debate on ways to help the African Union in its missions of peace throughout the continent. He said his war-torn country is confronted with too many internal problems.

 

"Since Somalia cannot at the moment guard its vast coast, we would want to authorize the international community to take action and combat piracy at the high seas of Somalia until we can effectively undertake the security of our territorial waters," Ahmed said.

 

The French government has proposed a naval group to deter attacks by pirates off the Somalian coasts, where pirates seized the luxury ship.

 

Ahmed asked the council to lift the arms embargo imposed on Somalia since fighting among tribes nearly destroyed the capital Mogadishu in the early 1990s. He said the council should lift the embargo "promptly" and allow his government to defend itself.

 

He also called for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force with the mandate to help Somalia's transition government achieve "fuller reconciliation, stablization, disarmament and durable peace."

 

The UN force would also help Somalia in forming security institutions for the government, including police and intelligence.