Lanka in talks to curb Somali piracy

The war against Somali piracy must be fought on two fronts: battling the country's pirates and feeding its people. That was the view of envoys from seven countries whose citizens have been held by Somali pirates.

The diplomats from Italy, the Seychelles, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and Thailand were in Abu Dhabi to discuss ways to end piracy.They broadly agreed that the keys were military action, restoring law and order, and increasing aid.

"Yes, we must get rid of the bases of pirates to avoid attacks, but the international community cannot rely only on a military option," said the Italian Ambassador to the UAE, Giorgio Starace.

"There must be economic and social change linked to Somalia's recovery. Aid is not only for times of emergency. We need more engagement," he said.

Somali pirates cost governments and the shipping industry up to US$6.9 billion (Dh25.35 billion) last year, the advocacy group One Earth Future Foundation says.The diplomats mapped out a range of measures to cooperate against piracy.

Pirate attacks and ransom demands are common off Somalia's coast because of its proximity to the Gulf of Aden, a shipping route through which 20 percent of world trade passes.

This week, the European Union Naval Force conducted its first operation to destroy pirate equipment on the Somali coast, with the support of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. Until Tuesday, such operations were restricted to the waters off Somalia.

During the conference in Abu Dhabi, the ambassadors said tracing the money trail to find out where ransom funds were channelled was imperative.

"Somali pirates have become a destructive force because they have a safe haven," said Kenyan Ambassador, Mohamed Gello. "They can attack ships and take these back toward the shore because the land is available to them