Somali peace talks in Djibouti end without agreement
22/9/2008 16:33
The talks in Djibouti between the two joint committees from the Somali
transitional government and the opposition to finalize the peace agreement
between the two sides ended without a deal, reports from Djibouti said
today.
In a joint news conference, the Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan
Hussein and Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the opposition Alliance for
the Reliberation of Somalia (ARS) said that they will meet again in a month's
time after further consultations among each side.
"We have made much progress
in our talks so far and we reached a lot of consensus on many issues but we will
meet in a month's time to finalize the talks," the Somali Premier told reporters
in Djibouti where the two sides have been meeting since Sept. 12.
The two
sides have signed a tentative agreement last June in which they agreed to cease
hostilities and request a UN force to replace the Ethiopian troops backing
Somali government.
In August the two sides also signed a communique in which
they reaffirmed their commitment to the talks and agreed to cease fire within
thirty days.
The talks between the two joint committees on security and
political matters deadlocked over the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from
Somalia.
The Somali government wanted the troops to leave residential areas
in cities while the opposition demanded that they withdraw from cities and towns
in the south for a start before they fully withdraw in a hundred and twenty
days.
Sheik Ahmed, leader of the opposition said in that the two sides will
have to deliberate the issues among themselves and come back to the talks in a
later date "better ready".
A joint Security Committee to follow up the
implementation of security arrangements and a High Level Committee to follow up
on political cooperation between the two sides, were formed in accordance with
the initial Djibouti agreement.
Xinhua
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