- Title: [SW News] Ethiopian envoy to UN reacts to statements by new Somali
government, Ethiopian/Sudanese Officials discuss crisis in Somalia.
- Posted by/on:[AAJ[[8 April 2001]
Ethiopian Foreign minister,
Sudanese delegation discuss crisis in Somalia
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 6, 2001
Text of report by Ethiopian radio on 6 April
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin has said Ethiopia would provide every assistance for the
prevalence of sustainable peace and stability in Somalia. Meeting a Sudanese delegation
led by the Sudanese deputy foreign minister, Ali Numayri, in his office today, Mr Seyoum
said Ethiopia, in cooperation with neighbouring countries, supported efforts being made by
the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, IGAD, to bring about peace in Somalia.
[Name indistinct] has the details.
[Reporter] In accordance with the IGAD resolution, neighbouring countries have been
mandated to work in cooperation to bring a lasting peace in Somalia. They include the
current IGAD chairman, Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia. These countries follow up the
process since it is [words indistinct] to ensure the prevalence of peace and stability in
the country before the Somali transitional government, which was established in Arta,
Djibouti, becomes a member of IGAD.
The Sudanese deputy foreign minister, Ali Numayri, today met and held talks with
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin, during which he delivered a message from the current IGAD
chairman, President Umar Hasan al-Bashir. The two sides discussed ways to bring together
the Somali transitional government and the opposition groups that did not take part in the
Arta conference [in Djibouti].
According to the discussions, efforts will be made to bring about a comprehensive
peaceful solution in Somalia by meeting the leaders of the Somali [National] Restoration
and Reconciliation Council, which was recently established in Awasa [southern Ethiopia].
Foreign Minister Seyoum noted that Ethiopia would provide every support for the prevalence
of sustainable peace and stability in Somalia.
Source: Radio Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, in Amharic 1700 gmt 6 Apr
Ethiopian envoy to UN reacts
to statements by new Somali government
Addis Ababa, Apr 6 (Walta Information Centre ) - Dr Abd al-Majid Husayn
[has] said Ethiopia will not be deterred by the desperate statements coming from a group
holed up in hotels in Mogadishu with no authority anywhere else in Somalia and who are
bent to raise the ghosts of hatred among the people of Ethiopia and Somalia.
Dr Abd al-Majid, Ethiopia's permanent representative to the UN, was
reacting to a letter of Mr Ali Khalif Galayr of Somalia to the UNSC [UN Security Council]
president, portraying Ethiopia as a state bent on destabilizing Somalia. He described the
accusation labelled against his country as outrageous and saddening.
Dr Abd al-Majid pointed out in his letter to the UNSC president on 4 April
that the contrary was true is exemplified by Ethiopia's positive actions during the past
10 years in helping Somalia. One of these actions, he said, is the hosting of thousands of
Somali refugees which continued to this day. There are currently more than 250,000 bona
fide refugees with a similar number also living with the host population, he added.
Dr Abd al-Majid told the UNSC president that the spirit of goodwill
towards Somalia will continue in cooperation with Ethiopia's partners in IGAD
[Inter-Governmental Authority on Development]. He said we will certainly not be deterred
by the desperate statements coming from a group holed up in hotels in Mogadishu on a two
square kilometres radius, with no authority anywhere else in Somalia, and who are bent to
raise the ghosts of hatred among the two peoples. Noting that the group will fail dismally
in this, Abd al-Majid advised them to concentrate in meaningful actions towards the
reconciliation process within their country.
He said Ethiopia should not be used as a scapegoat for their failures in
that direction during the past seven months. He said posturing at international gatherings
and fora will not be a substitute for the failure on the internal front. What they have
aggressively been pursing is the attendance of international conferences and seeking
millions [of money] to silence their opponents and not peaceful dialogue with them or
their main neighbour, Abd al-Majid said.
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