US President Barack Obama has said that his country is committed to "halt the rise of piracy" off Somalia coast and vowed to work with international community to bring the menace to an end.
"I want to be very clear that we are resolved to halt the rise of piracy in that region," Obama said in his first public comment on the issue on Monday.
"To achieve that goal we're going to have to continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks," Obama said in his remarks held at the US Department of Transportation.
His remarks were his first in public on the rescue of Maersk Alabama cargo ship's American Captain Richard Phillips, held hostage aboard a lifeboat off Somalia's coast in a harrowing five-day standoff.
Obama, who authorised the Navy snipers to take a shot at the pirates, if the life of the captain was in danger, said: "We have to continue to be prepared to confront them when they arise, and we have to ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes."
Later his spokesman Robert Gibbs said the President is concerned about the safety and security of people in that area in view of increase in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.
"The President and this Administration are certainly focused on ensuring that we are doing all that we can in conjunction with our international partners and allies, to coordinate and communicate effectively to ensure the safety of Americans as well as others that are using this area for shipping," he said.
"I think also what has to happen is we do have to evaluate and be prepared to take stronger action interdicting acts of piracy. Another thing is to encourage greater efforts to bring individuals and groups suspected of these type of acts, to bring those to justice," Gibbs said in response to a question.
Terming it as one of the extremely dangerous regions of the world, Gibbs said, "We, in coordination with our international partners, have to take steps to control. These are areas that -- and this is true for many ungoverned spaces -- is that you breed very bad people that want to do very bad things."
The spokesman said the pirates are indulging in criminal activities. "I think that whether or not -- whatever label you put on them, there was a lawlessness, pervasive lawlessness that threatened the life of an American.
The President and this administration, working with some very brave men and women in the military, acted accordingly," he said.
