U.S. hopes U.N. resolution ups cooperation in piracy fight

[unhappycamper]

U.S. hopes U.N. resolution ups cooperation in piracy fight
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Monday, December 29, 2008

U.S. officials are searching for other means to combat piracy beyond a recently passed U.N. resolution authorizing using military might to address the problem on shore.

U.N. Resolution 1851, unanimously approved by the Security Council earlier this month, authorizes striking at Somali-based pirates with ground, air and naval forces before they take to the seas to hijack commercial ships for ransom.

The resolution, which expires on Dec. 16, 2009, calls for the United Nations to be notified before any attack on pirates is launched while they are ashore.

"It will also enhance cooperation, develop judicial arrangements with regional and victim states to prosecute, and enhance financial intelligence to get after the pirates’ money," said Jun Bando, the U.S. State Department’s maritime security coordinator and liaison to the Africa Command.

"What we are trying to do is have a better understanding of how these ransom monies are moving so we can disrupt the flow," Bando said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59684