Thursday, May 29, 2008
The second phase of the negotiations will open on Saturday followed by a UN Security Council delegation visit on June 2-3, UN special envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said in a statement.
"The process may create strains in some circles of Somali society but peace should prevail between brothers, depending on the wisdom and patriotism of Somalis both inside and outside the country," the UN official said.
Ould-Abdallah has also written a letter seeking the support of the Somali people in the diaspora to back the ongoing peace process to help save the country from violence which has rocked the war-ravaged nation.
In a letter to the Somalis which was sent out on Wednesday, the UN envoy thanked the Diaspora for their continued supports for the country and their unrelenting show of patriotism to support the processes being put in place to lift the Horn of Africa nation out of its current state of devastating violence.
"I am writing to thank you, the members of the Somali Diaspora, for your continuing patriotic support for your country. I have met many of you in Kenya, Norway, Sweden and the United States and plan to meet others in Britain, Canada and elsewhere in the near future," Ould-Abdallah said.
"I am asking for your continued supports for the ongoing process and our challenging undertaking to return Somalia to a normal, stable country back in the international arena," he said.
The first round of talks ended on May 16 with the two rival factions resolving to put aside their differences to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access and the delivery of assistance to the people with immediate effect.
Source: Xinhua, May 29, 2008