Brussels, 08/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 8 December, the Council approved the launch of the first maritime operation of the EU, EU Navfor Somalia (or Operation Atalanta). The operation, which has a mandate of one year (renewable), comes in support of a number of resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (1814, 1816 and 1834) targeting the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia. The objective of the operation will be to protect the marine convoys of the World Food Programme (WFP), which brings food aid to the displaced populations within Somalia and merchant ships sailing along the coast of Somalia, and to discourage, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed attacks.
Around 10 Member States have declared their contribution to this operation, notably France (which already has a frigate in the region), Greece (a frigate for the entire duration of the operation and force command for the first few months), the United Kingdom (a vessel for the first six months of the operation) Belgium (a frigate in the fourth quarter of 2009), Sweden (two corvettes from April 2009), Germany (a frigate, subject to the prior agreement of the Bundestag), Spain (a maritime surveillance aircraft which is already operational, a frigate and possibly an additional vessel), the Netherlands (a frigate the next year) and Portugal (a maritime patrol aircraft from the beginning of the operation). The operation will be led from the British headquarters in Northwood by the British Rear Admiral, Philip Jones. The Greek Rear Admiral Antonios Papaioannou is the force commander. The European troops will have the right to use fire. As the judgement of pirates comes under maritime law (which is not applied by all of the Member States of the EU), the States taking part in the operation will be free to decide whether or not they will detain (and judge under their own jurisdictions) any pirates they apprehend, or whether they will be transferred to third States for judgement. Any States choosing this second option must nonetheless make sure that the judgement and treatment of suspected pirates will be fair and comply with the principles of human rights. (A.By./trans.fl)