Somalia, Ethiopian top officials held talks over political crises
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
August 17, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — President Abdullahi Yusuf, his estranged Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and house speaker late on Saturday held talks with Ethiopian officials including Prime minister Meles Zenawi and foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin over a growing rift between the two leaders of transitional federal government of Somalia.
A clear and official statement is not released over the results of the private discussions the leaders held but an official from the ministry of foreign affairs said the Somalia leaders were advised to heal the rift between them as it will endanger the ongoing national reconciliation process.
President Yusuf and Prime Minister Nur Adde have been at odds for weeks following the premier’s decision to fire Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere on charges of financial mismanagement and failure to bring security.
Supporters of Yusuf in parliament have threatened to call a no-confidence vote over the prime minister which put fuel to the fire.
Following the row between the two leaders there are fears that this may jeopardize the recent peace deal signed with opposition figures
After the discussions The Somalia delegation has headed to neighboring Djibouti to be at a separate U.N.-brokered peace talks.
Some reports indicated that the African Union will be set to mediate between the leaders at rift.
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS
As the Somali president prepared to fly out to Ethiopia for crisis talks on Friday Islamic insurgents attacked his convoy on an attempt to kill the president.
According to reports Insurgents detonated two road side bombs near President Abdullahi Yusuf’s convoy that was traveling to the airport of Mogadishu to fly to Addis.
Following the explosion Ethiopian troops opened retaliation fire on civilians on a road out of Mogadishu and eye witness confirm medias the killing of 40 civilians.
Ethiopia invaded Somalia in December 2006 to help the United Nations-backed transitional federal government oust an Islamic militia from southern and central parts of Somalia.
Reports indicate that the violence in Somalia has already claimed the lives of more than 8,000 civilians and driven 1 million from their homes since January 2007
(ST)