Russian Foreign Ministry has asked the Somali authorities to give Moscow leeway in confronting the growing piracy off the Horn of Africa. "To ensure freedom of action in the fight against piracy directly in Somali territorial waters, the Russian Foreign Ministry has asked for consent from the Somali Republic's Transitional Federal Government to grant the Russian Federation the status of a 'cooperating state," RIA Novosti reported quoting the contents of a ministry statement. The request for permission has been especially moved by the September 25 capture of the 'arms-laden' Ukrainian ship, MV Faina off the Somali coast.
The ministry also ruled out the participation of the Ukrainian government officials in the negotiation processes with the pirates adding elsewhere that, in the event of a hijacking, only "ship owners or managing companies could talk to the pirates."
The ship was reportedly carrying around 100 pieces of military hardware including tanks, anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons to Kenya.
Russia has dispatched a naval vessel to the troubled waters to ratchet up the naval surveillance over the seized ship whose Russian captain died while a US destroyer together with two other warships, had hemmed in the hijacked ship.
On Thursday, the Press TV reporter in Somalia said the bandits had threatened to set fire to the ship if the NATO forces, also heading toward the MV Faina, attempted at overpowering the pirates. Delay in the provision of the demanded USD8 million ransom money could also endanger the lives of the 20 crew members.
So far this year, 30 ships have been the causality of the spiraling piracy off Somalia with territorial waters near the northern Somali region of Puntland posing the utmost threat to the passing vessels.