Russia has proposed the UN Security Council to establish a special body intended to hold criminal trials against hijackers captured during anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast, Russia's ambassador to the UN has said.
Vitaly Churkin said a draft resolution presented at the meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to provide his "concrete" proposals on the issue to the council within three months.
The Russian diplomat expressed his concern over decisions by some European countries' authorities to release captured pirates. He said no effective juridical system has so far been created to assure that pirates receive adequate punishment.
The issue has also been discussed within the International Somalia Contact Group, Churkin said.
"We highly appreciate the contribution of the group to international anti-piracy efforts," he said, adding there was an "understanding" between the group's members that the creation of a "special chamber for prosecuting pirates at a national court of one of the region's states" would be the most adequate step to make anti-piracy efforts more effective.
Somali pirates carried out a record number of attacks and hijackings in 2009. According to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center, a total of 217 vessels were attacked last year, resulting in 47 hijackings.
In 2008, pirates staged 111 attacks off the Somali coast, seizing 42 ships.
About 20 countries, including leading NATO member states, India, China and several Arab states, have sent warships to the Gulf of Aden.
Russian warships joined the fight against Somali pirates in the fall of 2008, when the Neustrashimy frigate was sent to the Somali coast from the Baltic Sea. Since then, the Russian Navy has maintained a near-permanent presence off the Horn of Africa, with warships operating on a rotation basis.
UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (RIA Novosti)
