Excerpt from report by Somali pro-Puntland government Puntlandpost website on 8 September

Garowe, 8 Sept 2007 - A delegation led by the Transitional Federal Government Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmad is expected to fly tomorrow from Mogadishu to Ethiopia, where it is due to hold talks with Dahir Rayale Kahin, the president of Somaliland.

The meeting which was organized by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, is expected to mediate between the president of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmad, and Dahir Rayale Kahin.

Dahir is said to have accepted to hold talks with President Yusuf. The meeting is intended to end hostile attitude of Somaliland towards the current existing government, the Transitional Federal Government. According to a secret source report, the meeting is expected to convince Rayale to accept joining the Transitional Federal Government in form of federal system after its formation.

The mediation meeting will begin after 11 of this of this month when Ethiopia celebrates the new year 2000, which will be attended by many presidents from the rest of the world and African heads of states.

Source: Somali Puntlandpost website in Somali 8 Sep 07

BBC Monitoring