Mogadishu, 4 August 2007 - The chairman of the routed Union of Islamic Courts, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, in Asmara, Eritrea, denied that there were ongoing negotiations between his Islamic group and the Ethiopian government.

Speaking to Shabelle by phone from Asmara, Ahmed pointed out that a dialog could be a solution to the political deadlocks, "but there were never talks between us and Ethiopia because our plan is clear. We need Ethiopia out of our country," he said.

His remarks come as Asharqalawsat, the Arabic online newspaper based in London reported Saturday that it quoted an Islamist leader, saying the Ethiopia has been engaged in political dialog with the leaders of the Courts.

The leader spoke on the condition of anonymity, the paper said.

The paper reported that no results have yet to come out from the secret talks. The Islamist leader confirmed that Ethiopia and Somalia's Islamists were negotiating, but he did not say if the talks have been done through telephone or meeting.

He said the talks focused on issues relating to the presence of Ethiopian forces in Somalia, indicating that solution may emerge only if the thousands of Ethiopian troops in strife-ridden country were pulled out.

He pointed that number of African and Arab states were mediating the Islamist-Ethiopian talks, refusing to mention the names of the countries involved in the arbitration.

Sheik Ahmed said there were peace efforts conducted by the Arab League to resolve Somalia's crises. "The talks between the Islamic Courts leaders that are outside the country are in progress," he said.

A massive Ethiopian military offensive defeated the Islamic Courts Union in December last year after the Courts were dominating a swathe of southern regions of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu, for six months.

Source: SMN