London, March 15, 2008 – Lord Avebury responds to Dr. Gabose's letter and continues to press Lord Malloch-Brown KCMG, Foreign & Commonwealth Office   to impress upon the Somaliland administration to allow free and fair elections in Somaliland. He makes one of his strongest arguments yet why Qaran should participate in the coming elections.

From Lord Avebury
P0807033
020-7274 4617

March 7, 2008

Dear Mark,

Further to our correspondence about the treatment of the Qaran Political Association in Somaliland, I attach a memorandum which has been emailed to me from Dr Mohamed A Gabose, Chairman of the QPA, about the continuing restrictions on their activities.

I share Dr Gabose's concerns as you know, and whilst I have always been a staunch friend of Somaliland and an advocate of their right to self-determination, I hope we and the European Commission are doing our utmost to persuade President Rayaale to find ways of allowing the QPA and others to participate in the local elections. If the QPA have a sizeable following it would be unfortunate to put it mildly if those people are disenfranchised. If on the other hand they represent only a handful of electors, it would be no skin off the noses of the three establishment parties if they are allowed to put up candidates.

The Rt Hon the Lord Malloch-Brown KCMG,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
London SW1A 2AH

Source: Somaliland Times