HARGEISA, May 27, 2007 - Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin will visit Sweden and Norway early June and will meet with senior officials of these two Scandinavian countries.

Abdillahi Mohammed Duale, Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, who will accompany the President, said that the President would leave Hargeisa on Saturday, 2 June, for Addis Ababa where he would hold consultations with AU officials.

Duale told Awdalnews that the President, who will also be accompanied by his wife and his secretariat, will reach Stockholm on June 4 where he is scheduled to meet with officials from the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and Port Authorities.

Sweden has recently become the first EU country to decide to deal directly with Somaliland authorities on assistance issues without going through the defunct Somalia.

Duale said that the President would stay several days in Sweden before he proceeds to Norway where he would meet with senior officials from the Foreign Ministry and international cooperation as well as parliamentary members.

He would also follow up ongoing negotiations between Somaliland and Norwegian companies on minerals and water projects. The delegation will be returning home on 9th June.

Meanwhile, Duale said that Somaliland would not allow any Somalilander who participates in the Somali Reconciliation Conference due to take place in Mogadishu to return to Somaliland.

“Any Somalilander who participates in that conference will be committing a high treason against the nation and will be liable to legal prosecution,” he said, noting that any Sultan, elder or ordinary Somalilander who attends that Mogadishu conference should know that they would be barred from reentering Somaliland.

Source: Awdalnews Network