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Garowe, September 19,
2009 – The president of Somalia's Puntland State government has
reportedly sent a clear warning to Somalia's Transitional Federal
Government (TFG), while urging politicians of Somaliland to uphold the
peace.
A United Nations delegation led by the Secretary-General's special envoy
for Somalia, Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, landed Saturday morning
(September 12, 2009) at Conoco airstrip in the outskirts of Garowe, the
capital of Puntland, where he was welcomed by Puntland officials.
Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole," the president of Puntland, met
privately with Mr. Abdallah at the State House in Garowe where the two
leaders discussed a range of issues including the campaign against
piracy and human trafficking.
Speaking later at a press conference, Puntland's leader said the
discussions also included development projects and improving the
security sector.
"I encourage our brothers in Somaliland to safeguard the stability [in
Somaliland]," said President Farole, on a day at least three civilians
were killed in riots that rocked Hargeysa, the capital of Somaliland.
The Puntland president briefed reporters about a cooperation agreement
signed on Aug. 23, 2009, in the city of Galkayo between President Farole
and TFG Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake.
That agreement, which some have referred to as the "Galkayo Accord," is
the basis of cooperation between the Puntland government and the TFG,
which only controls pockets of Mogadishu with the backing of African
Union peacekeepers.
Mr. Abdallah, who enjoys close relations with TFG President Sheikh
Sharif Ahmed and some members of the TFG Cabinet, praised the relative
peace and stability in Puntland.
He noted that "there are too many politicians in Somaliland" and urged
them to compromise for the sake of the peace. Mr. Abdallah spent two
days in Hargeysa mediating between the government and the opposition
before flying to Garowe for talks with Puntland leaders.
Puntland government sources tell Garowe Online that President Farole
sent a strong message to the TFG leadership, warning them against
breaking the Galkayo Accord.
There is growing friction among the top TFG leaders, as President Sheikh
Sharif has "sided" with Finance Minister Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and
Fisheries Minister Abdirahman Ibbi over Prime Minister Sharmake.
A TFG delegation led by President Sheikh Sharif is currently in
Djibouti, where Fisheries Minister Ibbi reportedly signed an agreement
with a Djiboutian government minister regarding the training of a Somali
naval force on Djiboutian soil.
Puntland officials say this deal in Djibouti is a violation of the
Galkayo Accord, which awarded Puntland the right to establish the
headquarters of the Somali navy in Puntland territory.
Source: Garowe Online, September 12, 2009
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