The Puntland
authorities have officially rejected the Somali peace talks
currently underway in Djibouti, according to the Somali newspaper
'Ayaamaha'.
In a
letter to the Djibouti president, the UN Secretary- General,
the regional IGAD grouping, the OAU and other involved parties,
the president of the Puntland regional government Abdullahi
Yusuf Ahmad said his administration "will never participate
in the ongoing Somali conference and will not recognise its
outcome".
"We would
like to make clear to the world that Puntland has no delegation
at the conference," the letter stated.
It pointed
out that any attempt by the Djibouti government to appoint
Puntland representatives would be considered as a "hostile
provocation".
The Puntland
authorities claimed the aim of the Djibouti conference was
to make "short-term political and economic gains".
UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan meanwhile urged all Somalis to take part in the
Djibouti process.
His spokesman
quoted Annan as saying he was encouraged by the fact the peace
conference had moved into its second phase. Annan added he
hoped this would lead to agreement on a transitional arrangement
"that would safeguard Somalia's sovereignty and prepare the
ground for a lasting settlement".
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