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G7 transport ministers and European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean on Tuesday strongly condemned the attacks perpetrated by the Houthis against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the navy ships protecting them. and welcomed the EU maritime operation "Aspides", launched on Monday, the European Commission reported in a press statement on Tuesday.
The ministers emphasised that the attacks violate international law, endanger innocent lives, and threaten navigational rights and freedoms. They also highlighted the critical importance of maritime security and navigational rights and freedoms in ensuring the uninterrupted movement of essential commodities worldwide, agerpres reports.
Later, Valean told AGERPRES that the decision to launch Operation Aspides, Greek for shield, led by Italy and which will have its general command in Greece, was considered "very important by all stakeholders in maritime transport, because not everyone can afford to make a reroute to the Cape of Good Hope."
"There is a concern about competition, let's say unfair, in the sense that ships from China or Russia can pass quietly, or at least have notified the Yemenis, which means for them a shorter and cheaper route compared to other European countries, with our operators," she added.
"We have agreed to form a G7 transport working group that will become operational at its meeting in Milan now, in spring, to monitor and come up with a work plan for the resilience of major logistical sea routes."
According to the European Commission, the ministers noted that the attacks on commercial ships by the Houthis have significantly disrupted the freedom of navigation and posed a serious threat to the security and safety of vessels in the region. As a result, many ships have diverted their routes, leading to increased transit times, shipping costs, and disruptions to global supply chains.
The joint statement was adopted at an extraordinary meeting of G7 Transport Ministers, where Commissioner Valean joined her counterparts from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America to discuss the situation in the Red Sea.
According to a draft of the final statement, the G7 ministers and Valean also welcome continued efforts of the U.S.-led operation 'Prosperity Guardian' along with UK support to protect these crucial shipping lanes.
They are also calling for the Houthis to immediately cease their unprovoked attacks on shipping vessels and to release the Galaxy Leader and its crew, which they hijacked 19 November 2023.
"We recall that the current crisis in the Red Sea exacerbates strains experienced globally as a result of Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, extreme weather events, and global health concerns such as the ongoing recovery form the Covid-19 pandemic," reads the joint statement
