United Nations, Nov 20 (IANS): The United Nations Security Council has adopted an India initiated statement expressing serious concern over continued violence by pirates against seafarers and calling for a comprehensive response by the international community.

A presidential statement by India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri as the current president of the Security Council this month incorporates the concerns of several countries relating to the welfare of seafarers taken as hostages by pirates.

Expressing serious concern on the continued violence employed by pirates against seafarers, it stresses the need for cooperation between private sector, States and relevant organizations for the exchange of evidence, information and intelligence.

Stressing the need for a comprehensive response by the international community to repress piracy and tackle its underlying causes for a durable eradication, it calls upon member States, particularly concerned States, to criminalise piracy under their domestic laws.

The statement says that the coordination of efforts at the regional level is necessary for the development of a comprehensive strategy to counter the threat of piracy and armed robbery at sea.

It highlights the need to keep the High Risk area under regular review in a transparent manner based on the actual incidents of piracy, which was an absolute necessity for the coastal States in the region.

The statement also encourages international community through Flag states, port states and coastal states to further consider the development of safety and security measures on board vessels, including regulations for the deployment of privately contracted armed security guards on board vessels through a consultative process.

Addressing the open debate Puri emphasised that India acccorded the highest priority to combating piracy, and had actively supported international efforts at the operational level, including through anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since 2008, as well as deployment of ships in the Eastern and North Eastern Arabian Sea.

He also pointed out that operations by the Indian Navy had helped neutralise several attempts of piracy.

Puri called for effective involvement of the States in the region and highlighted the need for capacity building not only of Somalia but also of other States in the region

as being an essential component of this strategy.