A problem that no one knows how to solve

America alone can do little about it, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said. “... if you are intervening and you capture pirates, is there a path to prosecute them?… We’re working in the Security Council to try to pass a resolution that could perhaps help deal with some of the current limitations in dealing with vessels on the high seas,” Mullen said.

NATO wants Africa to step up

NATO is committed to helping improve security in Africa, but expects African states to take the lead in fighting piracy off its shores, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said.

Saudis want global anti-piracy force

“Saudi Arabia does not negotiate with pirates or terrorists or kidnappers, but the negotiating decision over the hijacked Saudi Oil tanker is within jurisdiction of the owner company,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in Rome.

Yemen wants a united Arab effort

“There should be an Arab mechanism for coordination and action… We are concerned that… present international efforts are not enough,” Yemeni Deputy Foreign Minister Ali al-Ayashi.

Britain’s foreign secretary David Miliband said starting next month, a foreign defence policy group will use European military naval assets to “disrupt and tackle the scourge of piracy”, with the operations being commanded from a Royal Navy ship.

Russia will send more warships

Russia has the missile frigate Neustrashimy (The Intrepid) in the area, and will now send warships from other fleets too, Russian naval chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said.

Global body prefers Indian way

The head of the anti-piracy watchdog group International Maritime Bureau, Noel Choong, said: “If all warships do this (attack and blow up pirate ships like the INS Tabar did), it will be a strong deterrent. But if it’s just a rare case, then it won’t work.”