ROK, India, Sri Lanka Sign Agreement Against Piracy

The Republic of Korea (South Korea), India and Sri Lanka signed the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP). According to a statement issued by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea also deposited its instrument of ratification with Singapore, where the depositary of the agreement is located, on the day. The agreement was signed by South Korean Ambassador to Singapore Park Joon-woo, Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad and Sri Lankan High Commissioner Shehan Ratnavale on behalf of their governments. Concluded in Tokyo in November 2004, the ReCAAP is a Japanese initiative aiming to boost anti-piracy cooperation among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan, South Korea, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Eleven countries have signed the agreement since it was open for signature on Feb. 28, 2005, of which seven, including Japan, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and South Korea, have ratified. Brunei and Cambodia are in the process of ratification. The ReCAAP will enter into force 90 days after the tenth country submits its instrument of ratification to the depositary, according to the statement. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Source: Xinhua