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The United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed fresh sanctions on Somalia today amid calls for armed peacekeepers to be sent to the Horn of Africa.The diplomatic initiative came as Arab countries held a crisis meeting on how to tackle piracy, as the gang who hijacked a Saudi supertanker demanded a $25m ransom to be paid within 10 days.The 15-nation Security Council in New York adopted a British plan for enhanced sanctions aimed at freezing the assets of those involved in piracy and undermining Somalia's weakened national government. There has been a UN arms embargo against Somalia since 1992.The most senior diplomat of the African Union also called for UN peacekeepers to be sent to Somalia.Increasing piracy, he said, was "a clear indication of the further deterioration of the situation, with far-reaching consequences for (Somalia), the region and the larger international community".Pirates who seized the Sirius Star and its $100m oil cargo have warned of "disastrous" consequences unless the money is paid, according to the news agency, AFP. Mohamed Said, who claimed to be one of the pirates who seized the ship, told the agency:"We are demanding $25m [£17m] from the Saudi owners of the tanker."The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous."The demand came as Egypt hosted an emergency meeting on piracy attended by representatives from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Jordan and Somalia.Egyptian diplomat Wafaa Bassem said several options would be discussed at the Cairo meeting, including establishing joint operations by Arab navies and setting up a piracy monitoring centre and warning systems for ship.Egypt is concerned that piracy will force shipping companies to opt for safer routes that avoid the Suez canal, which links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean.Odfjell SE, a big Norwegian shipping group, has already ordered its 90 tankers to take the long route around South Africa.The British foreign secretary, David Miliband, signalled that Britain would not pay a ransom for the two British crew members held hostage on the Sirius Star.Speaking to reporters, he said the international community must "stand firm" against hostage-taking in all its forms. He insisted that making payments in return for the release of hostages would only encourage further such incidents."There is a strong view of the British government, and actually the international community, that payments for hostage-taking are only an encouragement to further hostage-taking and we will be approaching this issue in a very delicate way, in a way that puts the security and safety of the hostages to the fore."By Xan Rice in Nairobi, Matthew Weaver and agencies
To read more go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/20/piracy-somalia1
As in the days of Noah....
