Somali Peace Conference to be Held in Djibouti Next Thursday

SW News

Title: [SW News]( MOGADISHU - XINHUA) Somali Peace Conference to be Held in Djibouti Next Thursday
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Date :[Thursday, April 13, 2000 12:07 PM EST ]

Somali Peace Conference to be Held in Djibouti Next Thursday

Story Filed: Thursday, April 13, 2000 12:07 PM EST

MOGADISHU (April 13) XINHUA - The reconciliation conference aimed at giving Somalia a central government will start on April 20 in Djibouti as planned, the head of a high level Djibouti delegation said here on Thursday.

Osman Ahmed Yussuf, advisor to Djibouti President Ismael Omar Ghelleh, was speaking at a press briefing shortly after the six-member delegation arrived in the Somali capital for the first time since Djibouti announced a peace plan late last year.

Nothing has been changed in the plan, Yussuf said, adding that during the conference in Djibouti, a President, a Prime Minister and a speaker of parliament for Somalia will be announced.

The main Somali armed faction leaders except Ali Mahdi Mohamed had immediately opposed the plan. However, the preparations for the forthcoming Djibouti reconciliation conference have well been underway.

During their short visit to Mogadishu, the delegation will be meeting the various civic society groups, the traditional leaders, clan politicians and the business community in the capital.

Yussuf said his delegation is also willing to see all those who are interested in the peace.

He did not mention the faction leaders, but he said there is no one the Djibouti government is segregating against in the peace process for Somalia.

However, the local politicians see that the delegation may be trying to persuade the faction leaders such as Hussein Mohamed Aidid, Mohamed Qanyareh Afrah and Osman Ali Atto to attend the meeting in Djibouti.

The Somali dignitaries who received the delegation included General Mohamed Sheikh Osman, General Jilaow, General Mohamed Nur Galal and many others including the Muslim scholars of the Islamic courts.

More than 80 battle wagons and nearly 1,000 heavily armed militiamen from the Islamic courts escorted the delegation from Ballidogleh airport, about 90 kilometers south of Mogadishu, to Hotel Ramadan where they will be staying during their short stay in Mogadishu.

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