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Africa's top peace and security official is appealing to Somalia's elders to use their influence to stop the piracy1 that threatens commercial traffic through the strategic Gulf2 of Aden. From African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, VOA's Peter Heinlein reports African and European officials have signed a deal to provide the AU with a military capability3 that would allow it to intervene in continental4 conflicts and crises.Jean Ping (file photo) |
AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping has called the surge of Somali piracy an extension of the anarchy10 and political chaos11 gripping the country. Lamamra told VOA it is up to Somali political and clan12 leaders to put a stop to it.
"We call on all Somalis with influence on the pirates to help us curb13 this phenomenon," he said. "We believe that this is damaging to the Somali prospects14 for peace and cooperation and we think that all those who could have a positive influence under their solidarities15 that exist within Somali society should come in and tell these pirates that this is wrong. They have to stop it and stop it now."
Lamamra was speaking at a ceremony where African Union and European Union officials signed a $300 million agreement that will lead to establishment of a permanent African standby force. The five-brigade military force will be operational within 18 months, giving the African Union the ability to respond rapidly to continental hot spots.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner signed for Europe, since France holds the rotating EU presidency16. He told reporters the force is designed as a deterrent17. But when asked about the action by an Indian navy ship to sink a pirate vessel this week off the Somali coast, he suggested such actions are acceptable.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner |
"The Indian vessel defended itself, which is quite normal and according to international law," he explained. "And yesterday a Saudi big tanker18 has been attacked, and the Saudi authorities, decided19, so... So we want to act as deterrents20, but you know they are heavily armed, heavily equipped with speedboats, etc., etc."
Kouchner said in the meantime, a European Union naval21 task force would join the U.S. Russian and Indian ships that have been dispatched to the Somali coast to keep shipping22 lanes open.
"So for the time being seven nations regrouped in a British harbor, the port of Northwood, are ready to work together," he added. "There is a strong effort between European Union defense23 and African defense, and locally, a large portion of the world, the navy ships would defend the cargo24, the usual traffic for goods impossible to pass by without being threatened by attacks."
Kouchner says the European ships would reach the Gulf of Aden sometime in December.
A communiqué issued Friday after an EU/AU leadership meeting also urged the United Nations to play a role in bringing stability to Somalia. In unusually pointed25 language, the statement said the two continental groupings 'await with interest' the U.N. Security Council plan for establishment of a multi-national stabilization26 force that could reinforce the beleaguered27 3,400-strong African Union peacekeeping force currently in Somalia.
The Security Council has been reluctant to send a peacekeeping force to Somalia, with some diplomats28 arguing there is no peace to keep.
Somalia has been without an effective government since 1991, when warlords toppled a military dictator. The current U.N.-backed transitional government, formed in 2004, has been unable to protect the population while battling a powerful Islamist insurgency29.
1 piracy | |
n.海盗行为,剽窃,著作权侵害 | |
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2 gulf | |
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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3 capability | |
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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4 continental | |
adj.大陆的,大陆性的,欧洲大陆的 | |
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5 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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6 hijack | |
v.劫持,劫机,拦路抢劫 | |
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7 hijacking | |
n. 劫持, 抢劫 动词hijack的现在分词形式 | |
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8 ransom | |
n.赎金,赎身;v.赎回,解救 | |
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9 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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10 anarchy | |
n.无政府状态;社会秩序混乱,无秩序 | |
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11 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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12 clan | |
n.氏族,部落,宗族,家族,宗派 | |
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13 curb | |
n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制 | |
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14 prospects | |
n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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15 solidarities | |
团结( solidarity的名词复数 ) | |
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16 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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17 deterrent | |
n.阻碍物,制止物;adj.威慑的,遏制的 | |
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18 tanker | |
n.油轮 | |
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19 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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20 deterrents | |
制止物( deterrent的名词复数 ) | |
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21 naval | |
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 | |
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22 shipping | |
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船) | |
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23 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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24 cargo | |
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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25 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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26 Stabilization | |
稳定化 | |
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27 beleaguered | |
adj.受到围困[围攻]的;包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词);困扰;骚扰 | |
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28 diplomats | |
n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 );有手腕的人,善于交际的人 | |
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29 insurgency | |
n.起义;暴动;叛变 | |
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