Marine security regional conference commences in Sana'a

SANA'A, Feb. 10 (Saba)- Piracy, if not deterred, will increase
global financial problems because of increasing costs of marine
transportation and insurances on ships, said Interior Minister
Mutahar al-Masri.

Opening the Marine Security Regional Conference which began its
activities here on Tuesday, al-Masri affirmed importance of finding
decisive solutions by international community to piracy phenomenon
has increased recently to affect all countries in the universe.

He reviewed measures taken by Yemen for facing organized crime and
fighting terrorism, such as establishing coast guards forces. He
said that negotiations are going on with Italy government for
carrying out coast surveillance system V.T.S. in the Arabian Sea
region for limiting terrorist operations and organized crime in
addition to fighting piracy, drags smuggling and illegal migration.

"Yemeni authorities have taken precautionary measures before
Yemeni coasts for limiting piracy," he said, adding that Yemeni
coast guard forces are monitoring trade ships via accompanying them
with armed boats.

In the conference attended by a number of ambassadors in Yemen and
last for two days, Chairman of Coast Guards Authority Ali Rase'a
reviewed steps piracy has gone through and Yemeni warnings on this
issue since the beginning. The piracy started targeting tourist
boats coming from the United States ands some countries in European
Union. He says increasing of piracy activities have led to
raising insurance costs and turning some ships from marine line of
Aden Gulf to the old line ( Ras Arraga'a Assaleh) which also would
lead to increasing of transporting costs and therefore increase of
goods' prices.

He indicated that existing of some military ships in the regional
waters has cause harms to traditional fishers of the region.

" Sets of some ships have committed mistakes led to harming assets
of fishermen, some of these mistakes have cost lives of others,"
said Rase'a, asserting on giving attention to such mistakes.

Meanwhile, donors countries' speech delivered by British Ambassador
in Yemen Tim Torlo, affirmed importance of regional and
international cooperation for fighting piracy and having necessary
solutions and facilitations concerning this.

He also stressed on regional and international cooperation for
fighting all forms of negative phenomena in the region, such as arm,
drags and human trafficking.

The participants discussed in the first day of the conference a
number of work papers on marine threats, operations of Yemen coast
guards forces the Gulf of Aden and situation of these forces from
training and support sides.

French ambassador presented a review on French forces in field of
fighting terrorism and modern means these forces follow in such
activities.

For his part, Somali Interior Minister discussed current incidents
and profits of regional cooperation in this field. While Somali head
of coast forces talked about training operations, financial support
and resources of supplying his forces.

Commander of European Union forces presented detailed review on
duties of European forces in the region while commander of joint
forces in the African Horn talked about marine strategy in the area
and duties of these forces in the region.