Thursday, February 5, 2009

Malomuzh informs media on the situation with now released Faina cargo ship

At his today’s briefing at Presidential Secretariat, Ukrainian Intelligence Service Head Mykola Malomuzh updated media on situation with Faina cargo ship and its crew, which have been released today from hostage.

He said that in response to President Yushchenko’s instructions, he provided right after pirates captured the ship to Intelligence Service, Defense Ministry, Security Service and Foreign Ministry, the authorities have been applying all measures appropriate in the situation.

“Ukrainian intelligence, Security Service, Foreign Ministry have come to a consolidated conclusion then that freeing the hostages by force was impossible. In the situation such an approach could result in casualties. Instead, another model was elaborated, which foreseen active help to the ship’s owner in conducting talks with the pirates”, - Malomuzh said.

For now, according to him the last of the pirates have left the ship and tomorrow morning it will sail away from its current location near Kenya coast under guard of the US Navy. It is expected that at the beginning of next week Faina will arrive at Mombasa seaport.

Intelligence Service Head also said that the cargo on board of the ship was transported under contract between Ukrainian enterprise ‘Ukrspetsexport’ and Defense Ministry of Kenya and that the cargo will continue its way to the destination.