Shipped Hijacked off the Coast of Somalia

Ukrainian Shipped Hijacked off the Coast of Somalia

MR. WOOD: I don’t have anything for you, so why don’t we go right to your questions.

QUESTION: This – the weapons on this Ukrainian ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates on its way to Sudan, apparently -- does the U.S. interpret this sort of arms shipment as a violation of the UN arms embargo?

MR. WOOD: Well, right now, I understand the Pentagon has a ship that’s monitoring the situation out there right now. I don’t have any other details about it, other than to say that, obviously, we’ve been concerned about piracy in this part of the world for a very long time. We’ve had travel warnings in the past about the situation off the coast there. And – but beyond that, I don’t have anything for you on that. I’d probably refer you to the Pentagon for more details on that.

QUESTION: Do you have lawyers who are examining whether this was a violation of the UN --

MR. WOOD: I’m sure people will be looking at those aspects of it. But right now, they’re obviously trying to resolve a standoff in the area, first and foremost.

QUESTION: Could you say whether the U.S. is concerned or welcomes a Russian ship that is also heading towards this, apparently, hijacked ship?

MR. WOOD: Well, the Russians, I believe, are trying to lend their support to the ship that was hijacked. So I don’t have anything to say beyond that on it. They’re obviously concerned about it as we are.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. WOOD: Okay, thank you.

ENDS

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