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Political and defence Europe (by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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End impunity for pirates. The priority, according to the USA

Countryman_150_1.jpg(BRUSSELS2) Outwitting or stopping pirates is good, judging them is better. In a few words, this is the meaning of the intervention of Thomas
country man,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Secretary of State (USA), Thursday, during the piracy seminar at the European Parliament. “We have the BMP Best management practices, the flag State must do everything to ensure that they are applied, it is not expensive. Maritime forces like Eunavfor are essential, they are expensive. But it is necessary he explained. Corn " the lawsuit against pirates is undoubtedly the most important task we have to carry out today. It is necessary to end the perception of impunity enjoyed by pirates. »

Everyone's responsibility

“We believe that all states have a responsibility to prosecute pirates. This is not a legal obligation but a question of responsibility (1): for Europe, the USA, the States of the region. A global responsibility. In the United States, we have taken our share of responsibility” he specifies as a small spade compared to the timidity of European countries to bring pirates before their courts. " Join "We have not hesitated to bring suspects arrested by our ships to trial before American courts." Et Countryman to complete " We must make it our goal to prosecute the organizers, not just the hundreds of poor men who go on the boats. We must prosecute the funders, the organizers of the piracy. This should be a goal for all of us. »

The Americans also consider it a priority to strengthen the reaction capacity of the States of the region. They seem, on the other hand, more reluctant to act on Puntland (as advocated by Rear Admiral Hudson, read here).

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(1) The United States has not ratified the Montego Bay Convention, hence this nuance.

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).