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Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said the hijacking of a Saudi
super tanker with $180 million of oil onboard would trigger an
international crackdown on piracy, which he compared to
terrorism.
Prince Saud al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia would throw its weight
behind a European-led initiative to step up security in the busy
shipping lanes off Africa's east coast, where the Sirius Star was
seized on Sunday.
"This is an initiative that we are going to join and so are many
other countries of the Red Sea," Prince Saud told a news
conference.
"This outrageous act by the pirates, I think, will only
reinforce the resolve of the countries of the Red Sea and
internationally to fight piracy.
"Piracy is against everybody. Like terrorism, it is a disease that
has to be eradicated," he said after meeting Greek Foreign Minister
Dora Bakoyannis.
The Sirius Star, captured 450 nautical miles southeast of the
Kenyan port of Mombasa, is carrying up to two million barrels of
oil.
The tanker had been heading for the United States via the Cape of
Good Hope and had 25 crew from Croatia, Britain, the Philippines,
Poland and Saudi Arabia.
Ship-owners are negotiating ransoms.
The seizure was carried out despite NATO and European anti-piracy
operations in one of the world's busiest shipping areas.
Bakoyannis said Greece has contributed to the mission along
Somalia's coastline with a frigate and a helicopter.
Greece will be the first nation to hold the rotating command of the
EU fleet, which will sail to the Red Sea by the end of the
year.
The International Maritime Bureau, a piracy watchdog, says there
have been 92 attacks off Somalia this year and 36 ships have been
hijacked.
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