Yemen affirms readiness to cooperate in combating piracy

RIYADH, June 29 (Saba) - Yemen affirmed on Monday its readiness to
cooperate with the Arab countries overlooking the Red Sea and Aden
Gulf for combating piracy and organized crime.

This came in Yemen's speech delivered by Head of Yemeni Coastguard
Authority Ali Rase'a in the joint meeting of Navy Leaders and
Foreign Ministries' experts of the Arab countries overlooking the
Red Sea and the states of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in the
Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Rase'a stressed that Yemen is ready to offer all facilities for Arab
ships to take part in combating piracy as well as exchanging
information and conducting joint exercises within the security
agreements.

Since five years, as the Somali piracy has soared in Gulf of Aden,
Yemen has called on the countries overlooking Gulf of Aden and the
Red Sea to play a positive role in fighting against piracy, Rase'a
said.

"We believe in that if our countries unite their efforts and
potentials, they will be able more than others to play more
effective roles in combating not only piracy but also the illegal
migration and smuggling drugs", he said.

Rase'a pointed out that such problems do not negatively affect only
a certain country but all the region's countries. A country,
whatever its potentials, can not encounter piracy alone. Western
countries realized that and formed a coalition to combat such
phenomenon.

In his speech, Rase'a reviewed Yemen's efforts in combating piracy,
saying "Believing in the importance of marine security, Yemen
established before six years a coastguard authority as a specialized
security unit in addition to several monitoring centres will be
operated by the end of 2009."

The priority was given to Aden Gulf and Bab al-Mandab areas due to
they are closer to Africa and because of their importance for the
international navigation routs.

Rase'a urged the participants on availing from the European Union's
experience in combating piracy, illegal migration and drugs
smuggling.

BA/AF