Latest On Djibouti Peace Initiative
Story Filed: Friday, March 24, 2000 10:37 PM EST
Nairobi (UN Integrated Regional Information Network, March 24, 2000) - Interview with
DAVID STEPHEN, Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Somalia
On Tuesday, a diverse group of Somalis kicked off a five-day meeting at the Sheraton
hotel in Djibouti's capital to talk about the upcoming Somali National Peace Conference.
They are exploring ideas, issues, and agenda priorities for the peace conference - hosted
by Djibouti - which will begin in April. David Stephen is currently in Djibouti, and spoke
to the UN in Somalia newspage on Thursday about
what's happening.
Q. How is the meeting going?
A. About 50 Somalis from all parts of the country who have relevant experience have
come together to offer advice to Djibouti before the peace conference. No one is specially
mandated and no one is representing anyone else. Everyone comes in their own capacity.
They've started addressing the key questions of property, disarmament, how delegates
should be appointed to the Somali National Peace Conference. It's non-binding advice, but
they're making recommendations to the Djibouti government, which is listening.
Q. Mogadishu faction leader Hussein Aideed is the latest in a string of Somali leaders
(including the self-declared presidents of Puntland and Somaliland) who say they are
pulling out of the Djibouti peace initiative. What do you make of this?
A. They haven't actually said they won't participate. They've made hostile noises, but
since it's not clear yet what the peace talks will involve, they can't really say they
won't participate. No invitations have gone out, no agenda has been set. In the case of
those leaders with established structuers, they are afraid that those might be threatened.
They are agitating to be sure their case is not forgotten, as I see it. But you can't
really say certain leaders have pulled out of the talks since there's nothing to pull out
of yet.
Q. There has been some talk of an alternate peace plan, brokered by Libya. What do you
know about Libya's role in this matter?
A. This comes solely from Hussein Aideed, and it received great publicity recently
through the media. As far as I know, the Libyan government has not said anything in
public. So I can't comment on what Hussein Aideed says the Libyans are planning - we'll
need to hear from the Libyans themselves.
Q. Realistically, if the Somali peace conference does go forward, what's the most we
can hope for in terms of results?
A. What a lot of people don't understand is that this is not another power sharing
agreement for faction leaders. These talks bring together the whole society, to come up
with a framework for governance. Now, that is extremely ambitious. There have been 12
failed agreements between faction leaders so far, so this is an attempt to get something
more lasting by mobilizing elements of society other than faction leaders. Whether to
include faction leaders is a matter for Djibouti to decide. Originally, the president said
faction leaders who are willing to exhibit democratic means would be welcome to take part.
Is building a new government realistic? There really can be no other goal. If it's not
realistic, then Somalia is doomed to its current
situation forever.
Source: UNDP Somalia
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