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Last Updated : 2024-04-23 22:35:00
15 March 2010 09:26 am - 8 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Jamila Najmuddin
A team of British experts are currently negotiating with Somali pirates for the release of the Sri Lankan crew members aboard the hijacked Saudi vessel ‘Al-Nisr Al Saudi’ and the negotiations are expected to go on for over a month, sources said.
Sources at the Foreign Ministry told Daily Mirror online that the experts who are now in contact with the pirates via a satellite telephone and negotiating for the release of the 13 member Sri Lankan crew and the Greek national.
Sources added that the negotiations are expected to go on for over a month as the Somali pirates have demanded a staggering amount of US$ 20 million as ransom for the release of the crew.
According to the experts, the Sri Lankan crew members have been given satellite telephone facilities by the pirates and are able to contact their family members which proves they are unharmed and safe, sources added.
Sources further said that the Foreign Ministry in Colombo has contacted the Sri Lankan missions in Nairobi and Saudi Arabia and told them to monitor the situation and ensure that the Sri Lankans are released without any harm.
The Saudi vessel was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden in the first week of March and the pirates have since then demanded for a ransom of US$ 20 million for the release of its crew.
According to media reports, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Kenya Jayantha Dissanayake has said the vessel was now in the region of Gurey off the coast of Somalia.
As a result of the incident, he has urged Sri Lankan nationals to refrain from seeking employment on ships that sail across Somali waters.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has said that he will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary measures to expedite the release of the Sri Lankans through Sri Lankan missions in Nairobi and Saudi Arabia. The Minister said that the government has instructed him to do everything possible to save the crew. (Daily Mirror online)
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:01 AM
Why doesn't the UK negotiate with the Afghanistan and Iraqi rebels? Sri lanka, the superpower of Asia knows how to deal witht eh terrorists and pirates.
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:12 AM
Will SL govenment blame on UK for this move, and will Wimal go against UK in front of UK embassy.
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:25 AM
Rather they can negotiate with Al Qaeda!
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:35 AM
So British intervention is good when it suits us? Don't we have negotiation experts...since according to some on these forums we're the best at everything.
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:38 AM
WHY NOT DESPATCH THE 'PANCHAUDHAYA' ?
Monday, 15 March 2010 10:50 AM
Why should there be negotiations with criminals and terrorists. Why are these Big Powers so scared of these Somali criminals? What is the Somali government doing about these criminals within their territorial waters? Are they Somali State sponsored pirates? Giving ransoms will only encourage them.
Remember what happened to a criminal called Prabakaran who thought that he was invincible?
Monday, 15 March 2010 11:32 AM
These days we are Negotiating with Political Pirates !
Tuesday, 16 March 2010 01:20 PM
Superpower of Asia? Why not Superpower of the world? You dream on!!!
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