MFA Press Release: REGIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT ON COMBATING PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA

On behalf of their governments, Ambassador Park Joon-woo of the Republic of Korea, High Commissioner Alok Prasad of India and High Commissioner Shehan Ratnavale of Sri Lanka signed the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. The Republic of Korea also deposited its instrument of ratification with Singapore. India and Sri Lanka will separately deposit their instruments of ratification after the signing.

To date, eleven countries have signed the Agreement, of which seven have ratified, namely Japan, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and the Republic of Korea. The ReCAAP Agreement will enter into force 90 days after the tenth country submits its instrument of ratification to the depositary. In addition, Brunei and Cambodia have signed the Agreement and are in the process of completing their domestic procedures for ratification.

ReCAAP is a Japanese initiative for anti-piracy cooperation amongst the ASEAN countries, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The ReCAAP Agreement was concluded in Tokyo in November 2004. As host of the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, Singapore is the depositary of the Agreement, which has been open for signature since 28 February 2005.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
7 APRIL 2006