US unveils plan to tackle piracy

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Page last updated at 20:00 GMT, Wednesday, 15 April 2009 21:00 UK

US unveils plan to tackle piracy

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has unveiled a four-point plan to tackle

piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

She said an expanded international effort was needed, as well as freezing

pirates' assets, and plugging gaps in the shipping industry's own defences.

Improving the situation in Somalia itself was also key, she said.

Pirate attacks have increased in the past few days, including on US vessels,

despite anti-piracy patrols by the US and other navies.

Mrs Clinton said: " We may be dealing with a 17th-Century crime, but we need to

bring 21st Century assets to bear. "

The US Navy shot dead three pirates a few days ago in the rescue of a US cargo

ship captain who had been taken hostage from his own ship.

The captain was unhurt and a fourth pirate was captured.

His crew had managed to fight off the armed pirates from the Maersk Alabama, but

the captain was taken away in a lifeboat.

Another US ship, the Liberty Sun, was attacked by armed pirates on Wednesday,

but escaped them with slight damage to the vessel.

One pirate said the second attack was revenge for the recent deaths of pirates.

The French navy captured 11 pirates on Wednesday after intercepting a " mother

ship " or command vessel about 550 miles (900km) off the coast of Kenya.

The US four-point plan includes sending an envoy to the Somali donors'

conference in Brussels on 23 April to work on plans to improve the situation in

Somalia.

She said the US would work with the Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of

Somalia (CGPCS) to expand the multinational response to piracy.

She called for states to take responsibility for prosecuting and imprisoning

captured pirates.

" These pirates are criminals, they are armed gangs on the sea, and those

plotting attacks must be stopped. "

She called for continued work on releasing captured vessels, as several ships

and their crews remain in the hands of pirates.

On Wednesday the Greek maritime ministry announced that a Greek cargo ship and

its 24 crew, held by pirates since mid-March, had been released.

She also said the international group had to consider ways to track and freeze

pirate assets.

" It is time to eliminate the financial payoff of piracy, " she told reporters.

" We will also reiterate to all concerned the US policy of making no concessions

or ransom payments to hostage takers. "

The State Department will set up meetings with members of the Somali

Transitional Federal Government and regional leaders.

" We must press authorities within Somalia to take action against pirates

operating from bases within their territory, " Mrs Clinton said.

Making clear the threat was not just an issue for governments to resolve, she

said the shipping industry had a joint responsibility.

" I have directed the [state] Department to work with shippers and the insurance

industry to address gaps in their self-defence measures. "