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UN talks tough on Somali piracy

28 April 2010 04:01 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The United Nations Security Council passes a resolution urging all countries to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, APA reports quoting Presstv.ir web-page.

The 15-nation Council unanimously agreed on Tuesday to the Russian-drafted resolution and suggested to create special piracy courts to facilitate prosecution of pirates caught off the coast of Somalia.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked the Council to report to him within three months on ways of prosecuting pirates.

The militancy and general lawlessness have created a safe haven for Somali pirates attacking vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden for the last few years, and have stepped up attacks in recent months.

They have earned tens of millions of dollars in ransom, despite presence of naval vessels from many countries.

Somalia has not had an effective government for nearly 20 years, and is plagued by in-fighting between rival factions. It also lacks the legal infrastructure to support such trials.