EU preparing Somalia anti-piracy force

The Associated Press ,  Brussels   |  Wed, 10/15/2008 4:44 PM  |  World

The European Union says member states have agreed to the appointment of a British vice admiral to head the naval task force preparing to conduct anti-piracy patrols off the Somali coast.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana says in a statement received Wednesday that plans to dispatch the force in December are going as planned and that member nations agreed to appoint Royal Navy Vice Admiral Philip Jones to command it.

Early this month, several European Union countries said they would begin the patrol before the end of the year, and Russia announced it would cooperate with the West on fighting the pirates.

The decision followed the hijacking in the Indian Ocean of the Ukrainian ship MV Faina, which was carrying tanks and heavy weapons.
 

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