APA-Moscow (Russia) The possible creation of an international criminal tribunal will help combat piracy off the coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, APA learnt in Moscow on Friday.

Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, proposes formulating coordinated counter-measures in this area, including the establishment of a special criminal tribunal on piracy, Medvedev said at a meeting with Transport ministers from a number of foreign countries in Moscow.

This week, the European Union officials also said that it has decided to extend the mandate of its piracy mission off the coast of Somalia until the end of 2010.

The European Union - through the naval Operation Atalanta - continues to contribute to maritime security in the area, and has decided to extend the mandate until the end of 2010, Anders Liden told the UN Security Council, speaking on behalf of the European Union.

The EU anti-piracy operation, dubbed Atalanta, has been patrolling shipping routes off the Horn of Africa from Somali pirates since December last year.

Naval warships and aircraft from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece have been involved in actively escorting commercial ships through the Gulf of Aden. The operation is under the command of the British Navy.

Since December last year, the EU mission protected 50 ships that delivered roughly 300,000 tons of food under the UN World Food Programme. The aid benefited 1.6 million Somalis directly.

Piracy affected the safe delivery of aid to 3.8 million people in need, Liden added.

A total of 306 incidents of piracy were reported worldwide in 2008, including 136 in the East African region, officials said in the report.

Three hundred incidents were reported between January and September this year, including 160 in East Africa. As of October 27, eight vessels and 178 sailors were being held hostage, the report said.