U.N. Security Council weighs in on piracy

UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (UPI) -- Pirates marauding off the Somali coast have drawn the attention of the U.N. Security Council, which Monday called on nations to confront the maritime criminals.

The 15-member United Nations body unanimously approved a statement declaring it was "gravely concerned by the threat that acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels pose to the prompt, safe and effective delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia, the safety of commercial maritime routes and to international navigation," the U.N. News Center reported.

The resolution provides for a six-month period when countries working with the Somali transitional federal government can enter Somalia's territorial waters to pursue pirates.

The Somali coast has been rife with attacks and takeovers of ships operated by the U.N. World Food Program and other relief agencies recently, the news center said.

The Security Council said nations that have military ships and aircraft operating off the Horn of Africa need to be alert to acts of piracy and coordinate their efforts to stem the problem.