SOMALILAND: MOGADISHU FACTION LEADER BLAMES DJIBOUTI FOR SOMALIA'S WOES
94% match; BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom ; 04-Jun-2000 12:00:00 am ; 207 words

Text of report by Somaliland's Hargeysa radio on 4th June

Mr Uthman Hasan Ali Ato, one of the Mogadishu faction leaders currently on a visit to Somaliland, today held a news conference in Hargeysa. Mr Ato said it was only the people of Somaliland who had the right to decide on the political status of Somaliland. He said the ongoing Djibouti conference was not different from the one held in the same country in 1991 which resulted in the civil war and the political problem facing Somalia.

Speaking on his stay in Somaliland for the past seven days, Mr Ato said they had met Somaliland leaders and ordinary people. He praised the Somaliland government and its people for bringing about sustainable stability in the country. He said that his talks with Somaliland leaders focused, among other things, on politics and the Djibouti conference, adding that they shared identical views on what they discussed.

Mr Ato said they agreed on the immediate establishment of permanent relations between Mogadishu faction leaders and Somaliland government and its people. He said he came to Somaliland after consulting with Mogadishu faction leaders, Muhammad Qanyareh Afrah, Husayn Muhammad Aydid, Muse Sudi Yalahow and other prominent personalities.

Mr Ato is leading a 10-man delegation, including Mowlid Ma'aneh, the chairman of SAMO [Somali Agricultural Muki Organization].

Source: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 gmt 4 Jun 00