Govt To Release ARA Libertad

The Ghanaian government confirmed on Tuesday it would comply with the UN Law of the Sea court decision to release the Argentine navy flagship ARA Libertad, impounded in Tema since October 2, over a debt dispute between a US hedge fund and the Argentine government. The announcement was made by the country�s Foreign Relations minister Muhammad Mumuni in a radio interview where he explained that the Ghanaian government would send a plea to its judiciary to reverse the order placed on the Libertad training frigate. �We will comply with the decision of the Tribunal� the minister said today. Later in the day Ghana�s Attorney General Benjamin Kunbuor said on a radio broadcast that the Supreme Court must reverse a lower court ruling to impound the ship before the Argentine vessel could be released. Reports said the ship could be released as early as tomorrow. In Buenos Aires President Cristina Fern�ndez highlighted the release of the ARA Libertad frigate after being retained for more than 2 months in Ghana, and blasted those who called for the payment to the vulture funds to achieve this. �I was surprised by the attitude of some people, it was an illegal reaction, almost as similar as having an embassy occupied, but many still said we should pay to get the frigate back,� the Head of State assured. She also announced her participation at the ceremony at the frigate on January 9, when the tall ship arrives in the country. The Argentine government on Monday accused the investment funds behind impounding the ARA Libertad frigate of seeking to delay its release. According to Defence Minister Arturo Puricelli, the investment fund NML Capital Ltd was putting pressure on Ghana in an attempt to hold the frigate, despite the December 15 ruling made by the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in favour of Argentina. �The vulture funds are using all means available to find a way to delay application, to see if they can disqualify the ruling� claimed Puricelli.