Text of report by Somali newspaper 'Xog-Ogaal' on 14th February
Gen Muhammad Abshir Musa, the chairman of the SSDF [Somali Salvation Democratic Front],
yesterday arrived in Hargeysa [capital of Somaliland] and held a closed-door meeting with
Somaliland President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal. The two leaders discussed the general
political situation in Somalia.
Gen Musa is reported to have told the Somaliland president that the Somali people
needed each other could not do without each other, especially at this hour of need, and
proposed that all differences be resolved through dialogue.
Gen Muhammad Abshir Musa last night held a press conference in Hargeysa and called on
the Somali people to support Djibouti President Ismael Omar Gelleh's peace proposal for
Somalia, and urged the Somali people to make optimum use of the proposed Djibouti peace
conference.
Gen Musa said: "We should all accept the invitation of our elder brother
Gelleh."
He appealed to the Somali people not to boycott the forthcoming Djibouti peace
conference for Somalia.
Reports say Gen Muhammad Abshir Musa, who has been living in Saudi Arabia, will head
for Puntland to sensitize the Puntland people on the importance of the Djibouti conference
and the need to support the peace proposal fully.
Source: 'Xog-Ogaal', Mogadishu, in Somali 14 Feb 00 p 2