DEPUTY SPEAKER REACTS TO BEING TURNED AWAY FROM HARGEYSA AIRPORT
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom ; 15-Apr-2000 12:00:00 am

Text of report by Somali newspaper 'Ayaamaha' on 15th April

The deputy Speaker of the Djibouti parliament, Mr Idris Harbi Farah, on arrival from Hargeysa, after his delegation has been sent back by the Somaliland authorities, was asked how they were received in Hargeysa and he said: "I did not expect our Somali brothers to treat us like that because we share both historical and blood relations."

Mr Harbi urged the Somali people to solve their problems and pledged that the Djibouti government will host them and provide them with all the necesssary support that they need during their consultations.

He said: "In 1960 the north and south voluntarily united and they have now decided to separate from each other. It is up to them to decide whether they will reunite or not. It is not up to Djibouti to intervene in such matters."

Mr Harbi further said: " We had wished to discuss the situation in Somalia and matters concerning relations between Somaliland and Djibouti with President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal.

When asked what Djibouti is going to do now he said: "Djibouti was ready to host the Somali people so that they can sort out their problems themselves and reach an understanding." P2

Source: 'Ayaamaha', Mogadishu, in Somali 15 Apr 00 p 2