Ankara, March 19: Turkey has called on Somalia to carry out a more serious fight against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, offering help in the process.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul received Somali Parliament Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur in Ankara on Thursday to discuss piracy off the Horn of African nation's coast.
Last April, Gul had promised Somalia President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to assist his country in establishing and training its security forces after years of bloody conflict and political turmoil in the African country.
The Turkish president reaffirmed that his country was willing to help Somalia regarding piracy.
On Wednesday, Nur met Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin, who said Turkey feared that piracy could spread to other African coasts if it was not dealt with effectively.
"Turkey will continue to help Somalia to overcome this problem," he said.
Sahin underlined the great importance Turkey attached to Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and independence, and said internal conflicts in Somalia should come to an end and stability should be restored as soon as possible.
Turkey has dispatched six frigates to Somalia since February 2009, to serve international anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.
Turkish underwater assault commandos captured seven pirates on a skiff boat in the Gulf of Aden on March 6.
--------Agencies
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