CAIRO: Arab countries should form a naval force to fight rampant piracy off Somalia s coast, the head of the Arab League told reporters on Monday.
This force could work with other powers in the region to protect security, said Amr Moussa, referring to US and NATO ships that have been patrolling the increasingly dangerous waters near Somalia.
Moussa said there were existing agreements on military cooperation between Arab countries that would allow for a joint navy.
Representatives of Arab Red Sea states announced after an emergency meeting on piracy in Cairo on Thursday they would appoint military commissions to make recommendations on how to counter the scourge.
They blamed political turmoil in Somalia for the brazen pirates, who hijacked a fully loaded Saudi oil tanker with a $100-million cargo and a crew of 25 on Nov. 15.
The pirates, who have hijacked more than 90 vessels this year, are demanding $25 million (?19.7 million) in ransom for the Saudi ship.
Analysts say the piracy will affect revenues from Egypt s Suez Canal, a big earner for the country and a strategic waterway in world commerce.
Several shipping companies have said they will reroute their ships past South Africa.
Maritime groups have urged international action against piracy, but the head of NATO, which has four ships patrolling the waters off Somalia, ruled out a naval blockade.
Blocking ports is not contemplated by NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters on Monday, adding that such an action had not been endorsed by the UN Security Council. This is, at the moment, not in the cards. -AFP
