Singapore to host meeting for council overseeing anti-piracy centre

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Monday September 4, 2006

Singapore- Singapore is set to host in November the first meeting of a council overseeing an anti-piracy centre now that the first government-to-government pact to promote cooperation against maritime piracy has gone into force, officials said on Tuesday. The Japanese-initiated Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (Re-CAAP) has been signed and ratified by 11 countries.

They include Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar (Burma), South Korea, Vietnam, India and Sri Lanka.

Brunei and Bangladesh have also signed the pact and are in the process of ratification.

The governing council, comprising one representative from each country, is scheduled to meet in Singapore starting November 27.

The council oversees policies guiding the Re-CAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) and will meet annually, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"The launching of the Re-CAAP ISC will mark the first time that cooperation among regional governments against piracy and armed robbery at sea will be institutionalized in a permanent body with full-time staff," the ministry added.

Indonesia and Malaysia, two key countries regarding issues concerning the Malacca Strait, have not signed the agreement.

Diplomats told The Business Times both are believed to be in agreement with the objectives of Re-CAAP and it is a question of time before they sign the deal.

Located in Singapore, the ISC will serve as a platform for cooperation under the Re-CAAP initiative.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur