Letter to the Editor-Russia committed to fighting piracy |09 April 2010

My special appreciation goes to the Commander of the patrol ship Topaz, Major Simon Laurencine, and all officers and sailors of the crew and the special forces Tazar unit who, with close cooperation with EU NAVFOR and its logistic support, have not only heroically and safely liberated the Seychellois and Iranian hostages but also struck a severe blow on Somalia pirates for the first time outside the EEZ of Seychelles.

Piracy is on the rise and has proved to be highly profitable. It has developed into an illegal business and even industry.
 Pirates are better organized now and equipped to reach remote regional zones, including Seychelles. Their attacks are better prepared as they have informers in crews and at the ports of departure. Pirates receive solid financing in return for a share in their ransom profits, particularly from the wealthy Somalis living abroad.

The surge of piracy has brought about a parasite segment of businessmen, acting as intermediaries in negotiations between the states or private companies and pirates.
 
Despite all efforts by the international community, the number of pirate attacks against commercial and fishing vessels continues to grow, which is largely attributed to the pirates’ confidence in their impunity. This is a matter of serious concern. The pirates often remain unpunished because the non-regional and regional states that capture them often do not have the proper legislation, physical capacity and sometimes political will to prosecute and imprison. This is not a case with Seychelles. In this regard my congratulation is also addressed to Seychellois parliamentarians who have recently passed appropriate amendments to the national legislature. But to adjust the laws of the regional states is not enough.

Therefore, Russia believes it is necessary to enhance the establishment of an international judicial body that would ensure the inevitability of punishment of the pirates as complimentary mechanism and not a substitution to the national courts.

Russia intends to propose a draft UN Security Council resolution providing for establishment of such a body after conducting a study of the applicable models of the international judicial body, taking into consideration the experience of international and mixed tribunals, previously set up by the Security Council.

Of course, the final and durable solution lies on the grounds in Somalia. But it is a long way. And to this end what we also badly need now is a comprehensive, all-embracing plan or programme approved by the international community on how to arrange the fight against piracy in all aspects of the problem, i.e. political, economic, military, financial, judicial, humanitarian, etc.

The Russian Federation will continue to fight piracy in the western part of the Indian Ocean. The Russian Navy warships will go on patrolling the area off the Horn of Africa and Somalia coast in 2010 in close coordination with the regional states as well as in coordination with the EU NAVFOR, NATO, China, France, India, the UK, USA and other countries taking part in the international anti-piracy operation approved by the UN.

Mikhail Kalinin
Ambassador of the Russian Federation
to the Republic of Seychelles