JEDDAH, 9 August 2003 — The Somali peace talks in Kenya have seen a major breakthrough in an agreement on several key points, said a statement issued by the Media and Cultural Center of the Technical Committee organizing the talks. The peace talks, which began in October last year, are sponsored by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, an East African body.
“The Somali leaders and delegates attending the talks agreed on the size of the future parliament, the duration of the transitional parliament and the mode of selecting members of parliament. The plenary also endorsed a federal system of government and the election of a president who will in turn appoint a prime minister. In the agreed new dispensation, the prime minister forms the government,” said the statement.
According to the statement, the Somali delegates at the talks have agreed on topics relating to the federal system, the structure of the Transitional Federal Government, and the size of the parliament, which will be composed of 351 members. The duration of the mandate of the parliament, it adds, will be four years, while the members of parliament are selected by the signatories to the Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities signed on Oct. 27, 2002 and politicians who were officially invited by the IGAD Technical Committee in consultation with the clan elders.
Meanwhile, warlord Muse Sudi Yalahow pulled out of the peace talks, saying he was unhappy over the draft charter and lack of reconciliation among Somali leaders, media reports said. “We want reconciliation among leaders first. In nine months of talks, there has not been any reconciliation. Leaders who came here as enemies remain so to this day. I thought this whole conference was about reconciliation,” he was quoted as saying.
Yalahow said he was displeased his suggestions and comments had been rejected by the chairman of the technical committee, particularly his proposal that Somali legal experts assisted by foreign experts be given time to correct mistakes in the draft charter. “This charter in its current form will lead to a new civil war in Somalia. We want a successful outcome from these talks and the way things are going now, this will not happen. The talks should not be hurried simply because they had already been under way for nine months. If my suggestions are not taken into account, then there is no reason for us to be at the talks,” he added.
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The foreign minister of the breakaway northern region of Somaliland, Edna Adan Ismail, has said the administration of Somaliland will not consider rejoining Somalia because of the warlords plaguing the war-torn country.
“The warlords in southern Somalia are interested in protecting their own interests by supporting terrorism and have not got the interest of the Somali people at heart,” Adan Ismail, who is the only female cabinet member of Somaliland, told Reuters.
The minister was in Ethiopia as part of a delegation led by Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin to discuss bilateral relations with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The report said the issues the two sides discussed included: The Berbera port facilities, which Ethiopia wants to use for its import and export trade, and strengthening border security and customs.
