The Djibouti-hosted
Somali peace talks have hit deadlock over the composition
of the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), introducing a
setback to the current timetable issued by the Djibouti government.
Sources
in Djibouti told IRIN that the conference, held 30 km south
of the capital in Arta, was likely to "take a few days" for
the clan delegations to come up with the required list of
225 TNA members.
Each major
clan has to share out its given quota among sub-clans, and
decide on whether or not to include political leaders. Once
the TNA has been chosen, it will elect a prime minister and
president.
The election
of the president and the conclusion of the conference was
due on 30 July. Meanwhile, women delegates last week appointed
25 women representatives to meet with a group from northeastern
Somalia to persuade them to remain in the conference.
A group
from northeastern Somalia Puntland region had recently opted
out of an active role in the talks, conference sources told
IRIN. The northeastern delegates had decided to become observers
after they were out-voted over the issue of selecting parliamentarians
on the basis of clan, instead of region. After talks with
the women, the delegation came to the conference hall and
called for "a little compromise" so that political differences
could be resolved quickly and successfully.
They
explained they were under pressure from their home constituencies
to select parliamentarians on the basis of region only, said
the source.
UN
prepared to "deal with consequences"
After
a visit to the Djibouti-hosted Somali peace talks, the UN
Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Randolph
Kent, said the UN system should prepare itself for the outcome
of the conference.
Kent told
IRIN that he "hoped for a very positive result, but one way
or another, we have to be ready to deal with the consequences
of this initiative".
The UN
humanitarian office has set up a Somalia Peace Planning Team
to prepare for a "post-Djibouti scenario" in partnership with
the Somalia Aid Coordination Body, an umbrella group of UN
agencies, international NGOs and donors, and established technical
committees in Somalia.
Kent warned
that because of lack of confidence from the international
community over the last decade, UN resources for Somalia were
limited.
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