U.S. Gov. Says No Deal with Somalia on Piracy
According to United Press International:
U.S. officials Tuesday denied reports the military had struck a deal with Somalia to conduct anti-piracy patrols along its coastal waters. The announcement runs counter to previous claims by the Somali prime minister, who has repeatedly called for help as attacks hinder humanitarian aid in the drought-stricken region. “The Somali government did not talk to the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy has no agreement with the Somali government,†said Lt. Commander Charlie Brown, spokesperson for the Bahrain-based fifth fleet which has already tracked Somali pirates in International waters in the Indian Ocean. The State Department confirmed in a statement that no contracts or agreements had been negotiated, saying it had only held “diplomatic discussions with representatives from (the transitional government of Somalia) concerning a number of areas of possible cooperation, including anti-piracy efforts.†Ali Mohamed Gedi, Somalia’s transitional prime minister, had earlier told reporters that he had reached a “milestone†agreement with the U.S. Navy to enforce security in his country’s territorial waters, where pirates have operated with increasing impunity. Â
Cali Maxamed Geedi; the Prime Minister of the Somali Transitional Federal Government looks like an amateur after this diplomatic and media management mishap!