KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- While the United States (US) is ready to help enhance security in the Straits of Melaka, an international sealane, it will leave it to the littoral states to decide the kind of help they want.
"We stand by to assist the countries in the region and we will be looking forward to hear from them what is that they need to further enhance the security in the straits," US Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher J.LaFleur said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after presenting an Amcham-Macee Scholarship award worth US$20,000 to a Malaysian student here, he said the US was concerned with the straits' security in the wake of rising piracy which could threaten some 50,000 vessels plying the waters yearly -- ferrying mostly cargoes and oil.
"Security after all is important to all of us. It is important to our countries as trading nations. It think it is important to Malaysia and other countries in the region because your goods come through the same straits, there is lot of business.
"So we all share the interest of having safety and security in the straits strengthened and if needed we can cooperate with regional countries," he added.
LaFleur was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak's statement yesterday that Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore would consider offers of aircraft from the US and China to conduct air patrols to avert sea piracy along the straits, but such move should not infringe littoral states' sovereignty.
However, LaFluer added that the US government fully respected Malaysia and other littoral states' responsibility to maintain security along the 900km Straits of Melaka.
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