Asmara, Eritrea, 4 June 2008 - The Eritrea-based Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) has put condition on the continuation of talks between the Somali political divide in Djibouti.

ARS has ruled out direct talks with the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) until a dead line is set for the pull out of Ethiopian troops from Somalia. The move comes after TFG's president, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad, told the UN Security Council delegation in Djibouti that the Ethiopian troops which backs his government, were in Somalia legally, and would not withdraw until the fighting stops. He also said that the Ethiopian troops would withdraw after peace keepers to replace them are deployed in Somalia.

The UN Security Council officials held talks with both ARS and TFG in Djibouti. A big difference between the two sides has been observed, and needs to be resolved before the start of face-to-face talks.

The delegation from the UN Security Council has urged both the TFG and the ARS to engage direct talks in order to end the 18-year-old violence in Somalia.

The TFG delegation and the UN delegation were expecting the engagement of direct talks to end the difference within the Somali divide.

Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, one of the ARS delegates told the UN delegation that they were ready for peace talks, however, he stressed that Ethiopian troops should withdraw first, saying that they were the biggest obstacle to talks between the TFG and ARS.