EU mulling military action to tackle Somalia pirates

(BRUSSELS) - European foreign ministers on Monday agreed to set up a "coordination unit" to help tackle the growing problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia, with the possibility of an EU naval mission in future.

"The resources of piracy have developed horrendously," said Bernard Kouchner, foreign minister of France which holds the EU's rotating presidency, speaking of very mobile, hi-tech operations involving small and large boats.

"We are responding to a call from the UN Security Council which called for international protection," said Kouchner.

"So far only Spain and France have responded," he added.

The 27 EU ministers stressed their concern at the "acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast" and decided "to establish, in the next few days, a coordination unit in Brussels with the task of supporting the surveillance and protection activities carried out by some member states" off the coast.

The ministers, meeting in Brussels, also approved a "strategic military option for a possible European Union naval operation," in the area.

The ministers "would like to see the current planning work press ahead," they added in a joint statement.

A flurry of attacks by Somali pirates is wreaking havoc with maritime traffic in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean amid complicated negotiations over the release of two kidnapped French sailors.

Spanish ships have also been targeted and the Spanish fishing fleet in the area has decided to move further out to sea.

In their statement the ministers said they were "gravely concerned" at the situation.

The EU "deplores the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Somalia," in general and expressed concerns at "the difficulties in reaching the civilian population and at the security conditions" for humanitarian groups operating there.

Conflict, drought and rising food prices are threatening an unprecedented humanitarian disaster in the troubled Horn of Africa country.

Pirate attacks on ships bringing food aid and supplies by sea have further complicated the delivery of humanitarian relief.

According to French armed forces spokesman Christophe Prazuck, some 15 international military vessels are present in the Gulf of Aden, focused on securing a narrow channel used by some 16,000 ships per year.

Experts say protecting cargo and fishing fleets from piracy across a wider area is impossible without major international mobilisation.

"Fishing fleets, when they have their nets out at sea, are sitting targets," they can't escape by picking up speed," said former French admiral Laurent Merer.

"To protect them would take major international cooperation," he said.

Dozens of ships, mainly merchant vessels, have been seized by pirates off Somalia's 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) of largely unpatrolled coastline.

The pirates operate high-powered speedboats and are heavily armed, sometimes holding ships for weeks until they are released for large ransoms paid by governments or owners.

Olivier Halloui, head of the Surtymar maritime safety company, said the best strategy was to hunt down the pirates in their home ports.

"We have to go and get them in their nests, keep close watch on the areas around their ports. Without ruling out land operations, under an international mandate of course."

"Because once out at sea, there is no chance. What used to be a little local business has become an industry, a powerful mafia, real professionals."

General Affairs and External Relations Council: Current International and Diplomatic Affairs on the Agenda