Somaliland Denies Having Talks With Puntland Over Disputed Sool Region

10/10/2007 BBC MONITORING

Hargeysa, 10 Oct 2007 - Somaliland delegation to Ethiopia returned to Hargeysa Tuesday after a one-week visit to Addis Ababa.

The delegation was made up of the ministers of finance and foreign affairs, Hussein Ali Duale and Abdillahi Muhammad Duale respectively, and an officer from the national intelligence. The delegation's departure from Hargeysa was unannounced.

On arrival at Hargeysa airport, the delegation only spoke to the state owned television and said that their visit was a routine one and denied reports saying that their mission was related to crisis in Sool Region.

"It was a routine trip. You are all aware that there is a good relation between us and Ethiopia and it is them [Ethiopians] who invited us. This is a bilateral relation. We co-operate in many fields in the region in general and the bilateral relations between us in particular. These relations have to be strengthened regularly," said the minister of foreign affairs, Abdillahi Muhammad Duale.

Responding to a question whether Ethiopian government invited them on an urgent matter regarding the tension in Sool Region, he said "no, our visit was related to our normal relations but not to any other special issue. It was about strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries. We consult each other on many issues on both sides".

Reports say that Ethiopia invited Somaliland delegation and the president of Puntland and has mediated both sides on the tension in Sool Region.

Other reports say that the talks aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict and tension between Somaliland and Puntland were unsuccessful after both sides argued that the disputed Sool and eastern Sanag regions were part of their administrations.

Both Somaliland and Puntland have not commented on the matter, however, it was reported that Puntland president, Adde Muse, accused Somaliland of attacking Puntland and urged it to pull out of Sool Region.

Reports say that he submitted a protest letter against Somaliland to Ethiopia.

Original source: Haatuf

Source: BBC Monitoring