All Indonesia's Govt Can Do is to Keep Monitoring

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - PT Samudera Indonesia is still continuing to negotiate the release of its MV Sinar Kudus’ 20 crew members held hostage by Somalian pirates, a minister said.

The government kept monitoring communication between the ship’s owner and the pirates, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at the Presidential Palace here on Monday.

"The effort to handle the crew members is still going on, and so is communication between the ship’s owner and the pirates," he said.

Marty said the government continued to monitor any developments including options that had originally been planned to release the hostages. MV Sinar Kudus carrying nickel ore was hijacked by Somalian pirates off the coast of East Africa while on its way to Rotterdam, The Netherlands, last March.