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France raids pirate ship, US to boost anti-piracy fight
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-16 10:23
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced new diplomatic efforts to freeze the pirates' assets and said the Obama administration will work with shippers and insurers to improve their defenses against pirates, part of a diplomatic initiative to thwart attacks on shipping. "These pirates are criminals, they are armed gangs on the sea. And those plotting attacks must be stopped," Clinton said at the State Department. Clinton did not call for military force, although she mentioned "going after" pirate bases in Somalia, as authorized by the U.N. several months ago. She said it may be possible to stop boat-building companies from doing business with the pirates. The measures outlined by Clinton are largely stopgap moves while the administration weighs more comprehensive diplomatic and military action. She acknowledged it will be hard to find the pirates' assets. But she wants the US and others to "explore ways to track and freeze" pirate ransom money and other funds used in purchases of new boats, weapons and communications equipment. "We have noticed that the pirates are buying more and more sophisticated equipment, they're buying faster and more capable vessels, they are clearly using their ransom money for their benefit - both personally and on behalf of their piracy," she said. "We think we can begin to try and track and prevent that from happening." Clinton said the administration will also call for immediate meetings of an international counterpiracy task force to expand naval coordination. |
