Somali president starts consultations to form the interim government
Somalia, Politics, 10/16/2004

The new Somali President Abdullah Youssef Ahmad started consultations to chose a prime minister for his government in the beginning of a difficult mission to achieve political stability in Somalia, after 14 years of chaos and armed conflicts.

President Abdullah Youssef is facing challenges especially the restoration of security and stability and implementing his promises for members of the Somali parliament and the international community to dismantle the weapons of the Somali factions.

Following his taking oath ceremony in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, Abdullah Youssef called on the UN and the African Union to dispatch peace keeping forces to his country and to train the Somali security forces to support the authority of the of the Interim government whose term of office will last for five years. The new government will assume preparations for the general elections by the end of the Interim period.

In a first challenge for the authority of the new government, the President of the Republic of Somaliland, Zaher Reyal Kahin, said that his government will not establish any dialogue with Somalia except in case of reciprocated recognition between the two countries.

In a statement from Hergheza, the capital of the district, Reyal said that the " independence of Somaliland is sacred and any attempt to discuss unity with Somalia will be meaningless and a waste of time.

Last Sunday, the new Somali president announced his determination to discuss the unity of Somalia with the leaders of the northern areas leaders. The Republic which is declared to the north of the country was not recognized internationally since it had split in May 1991, just five months after toppling the government of President Muhammad Seyad Berri.

The second day after the election of Abdullah Youssef, the cabinet of the land of Somalia and its parliament announced their rejection to negotiate with any government in Mogadishu over the unity of the country.

Previous Stories:
  Somali president takes oath in Nairobi   (10/15/2004)
  Somaliland refuses to recognize President Youssef Ahmad   (10/13/2004)
  Somali President promises stability demands international forces   (10/11/2004)

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