Medelci: “Rescue of 17 Algerian sailors held by Somali pirates to take time”
Algerian foreign affairs minister, Mourad Medelci, has brought into focus the capture of the Blida merchant vessel by Somali pirates in early January 2011 by Somali pirates, stressing that the relevant authorities are regularly in contact with the 17 Algerian sailors on board the hijacked vessel but asserted that a projected rescue operation could take a long time in the hope of being conducted with success.
- Pirate gangs are making tens of millions of dollars in ransoms, and despite successful efforts to quell attacks in the Gulf of Aden, international navies have struggled to contain piracy in the Indian Ocean owing to the vast distances involved.
- Somali pirates last year received a record $9.5 million ransom for the release of the Samho Dream South Korean oil tanker. A study showed maritime piracy costs the global economy between $7 and $12 billion a year.
- With regard to Algerian-Moroccan relations, Mr Mourad Medelci underlined that contacts and consultations were underway between the two neighbouring countries with a view to enhancing bilateral cooperation in such sectors as industry and agriculture.
- Evoking the re-opening of the Moroccan-Algerian border as repeatedly requested by the Moroccan authorities, Mr Medelci pointed out that such an issue was not the order of the day for the time being in line with Algeria’s clear stance on the matter.
- He however expressed the hope that Algerian-Moroccan relations and cooperation would be further upgraded for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two brotherly countries.