Issue 313

Sean McCormack, Spokesman

Washington, DC, January 17, 2008 - Question: Prior to this week, when was the last time that senior U.S. officials met with officials of Somaliland?

While the United States does not recognize Somaliland as an independent state, and we continue to believe that the question of Somaliland's independence should be resolved by the African Union, we continue regularly to engage with Somaliland as a regional administration and to support programs that encourage democratization and economic development in the Somaliland region.

Reflecting the nature of our engagement, the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Yamamoto met with Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin and his delegation when they were passing through Addis Ababa in early January 2008; the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger held consultations with Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Mohamed Dualeh and his team in Nairobi in Fall 2007; and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer also met with Somaliland Foreign Minister Dualeh during the African Union summit held in January 2007.

U.S. Contact with Officials from Somaliland

TRANSCRIPT:

QUESTION: Sean, Assistant Secretary Frazer met earlier this week with the gentleman who is the president of the -- I guess it's a self-declared independent part of Somalia, Somaliland.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: I was wondering whether this conveys any move by the United States toward recognizing that entity. Reportedly there are some in the U.S. Government who think maybe we should start over and recognize Somaliland.

MR. MCCORMACK: There's no change in our policy position vis-à-vis recognition of Somaliland. We are not on the verge of recognizing Somaliland. There's a process underway that the AU is engaged in and we are going to be watching very closely that situation, but there's no change in our policy.

QUESTION: Well, but even if there's no kind of official policy to recognize Somaliland, do you see more contacts with Somaliland, maybe not as a, you know, official bilateral between two nations but more contacts could help the overall situation in Somalia?

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, we think it's important to have as many political contacts as we can with responsible individuals in Somalia who have an interest in building up the democratic structures and institutions of Somalia and trying to take it from where it is to a much more hopeful future. Certainly, Jendayi's meetings just last week fall solidly in that category and it's a policy that we are going to continue to pursue. We have interest in fighting terrorism in Somalia as well as in the Horn of Africa. Part of trying to bring about some greater stability in Somalia writ large is -- involves working with the political parties, encouraging the political parties -- political leaders in Somalia to come together.

QUESTION: Do you think that the leaders of Somaliland should play a bigger role and a larger --

MR. MCCORMACK: I think anybody who has an interest in a more peaceful democratic Somalia has a role to play in this process.

Yeah.

QUESTION: On that, can you just check to see when the last time Jendayi or someone at a senior level met with Somaliland -- with either the President or other officials from Somaliland?

MR. MCCORMACK: Prior to last week?

QUESTION: Yeah. Because I know that AID is active up there --

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah.

QUESTION: -- and that there had been meetings before -- between U.S. officials and Somaliland officials.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: But I was wondering what the last time that there --

MR. MCCORMACK: Okay, we'll check for you.

QUESTION: -- had been one with the Assistant Secretary.

MR. MCCORMACK: Check for you.

QUESTION: This is last week while she was in Kenya? When was this meeting?

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm trying to remember exactly when it was. It might have been earlier this week or last week. Let me check for you.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm losing track of the days.

Yeah, one more back here. Yeah.

Source: US State Department