Ethiopian News Agency
Thursday, April 05, 2007

The U.N. Security Council last year authorized the establishment of an 8,000 member Somalia protection force by the African Union and the East African regional grouping IGAD, it said.

But the force remains undersubscribed, leaving the Ethiopians, who had hoped to remain in the country only a matter of weeks, bearing the main peace-keeping burden.

The peace-keeping issue is a major focus of the meeting that convened in Cairo Tuesday of the international Somalia contact group, including the United States and key African and European Union countries.

At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said reconciliation across the political spectrum in Somalia is a prerequisite for any hope of the country emerging from what he termed the morass of violence that has afflicted it for years.

But he also said the United States is encouraging all possible support for the African Union so that its Somalia mission, now consisting only of about 1,300 Ugandan troops, can be expanded to the

He said a premature departure of Ethiopian troops could lead to chaos, and said the international community must not abandon the Transitional Somali Government that took over Mogadishu after the Ethiopians routed the extremist movement in December last year.

The U.S. delegation to the Cairo meeting is led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, the report said.

The Somalia Contact Group is expected to endorse a reconciliation conference planned for Mogadishu April 16, 2007.

Source: ENA, April 05, 2007

marshaale @ 4/5/2007 8:59 PM EST  wax la yiraahdo wadaado iyo maxkamado meeshaan ma joogin mana jirin waxa ay ahaayeen koox yaroo somali ah oo is aruursatay kuna heshiisay in ay gumaadaan shacabka maatada ah iyo kuwa aan kasoo jeedin beelihii hubeesnaa ee aan isdifaaci karin, waxay karbaash u qaateen iyo qisaasid si ay dadka u argagixiyaan beelaha laga tirada badan yahay ayagoo gacmaha ka laabtay beelaha waaween ee caasumada ka amar taakleenayey, waxay ahaayeen tuugo soo goosatay xargaha ilaahay, waxay qandaraas ah umada ku haya argagax kasoo qaateen shabakada dhiig qubida iyo kala eryida shacabka ee alqacida, waxay la soo boodaan markay umada xasuuqaan ALAAHU AKBAR oo ay rabaan in dadku u arko kuwo xaq u diririya, waa dayuusiin aan laheen wax la yiraahdo naxariis oo beentana uga daadato sidii tusbax afka la jaray. kuma soo noqonayaan somaliya mardanbe waxay aduunka iyo aakhiraba ku seegeen waa beenta iyo munaafiqnimada ay diinteena suuban ka abuurteen. waxay caruurta bareen in ay naftooda ku gumaadaan isqarxin si ay danahooda gaar ahaaneed u fushadaan, waxay dadka caqliga daciifka leh ka dhaadhiceey hadaad JANADA rabto xasuuq walaalahaaga somaliyeed, karbaash, ka dhac xoolahooda, ka xir ganacsigooda, u xukun hab dhaqankii lagu yaqaanay TALIBAANKII laga eryey afgaanistaan, laakiin waxaa si sharaf leh u hor istaagay ayaga iyo taageerayaashooda caqliga daciifka ah leh madaxdeena QARANKA oo taqaan sida loola tacaalo BURCAD qandaraas iyo shilimaad kasoo gurata argixisada caalamka ee alqacida.

adamjama @ 4/5/2007 6:12 PM EST  Just send 8,000 Egyptians and get over with it. That will make everybody happy except TFG who only want Ethiopia.

Geele123 @ 4/5/2007 9:53 AM EST  country emerging from what he termed the morass of violence that has afflicted it for years. ............................................ WHO COMITTED THIS VOILENCE AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE AND THEIR FELLOW MUSLIM SOMALI BROTHERS MORYAN WILL ALWAYS REMAIN MORYAN THEY ONLY RESPECT AND UDERSTAND VOILENCE.. WHEN NOW THEY FELT THE HEAT OF BULLET, THEY HAVE STARTED FOR BEGGING FOR CEASE FIRE.. THEY DONT DESERVE TO LIVE THEY SHOULD ROT IN HELL