By Joyce Namutebi
and agencies
March 12, 2007
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PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni said he would call his Eritrean counterpart over remarks made about the peacekeeping mission in Somalia. On Friday, Eritrea told Uganda to pull out of Somalia, warning of “dire consequences for the whole region” if they remain.
“I will call the President of Eritrea,” Museveni reacted during a press conference at State House yesterday.
“Uganda is not there (in Somalia) as Uganda but as part of the African Union. If they have ideas about the situation, they should call for the convening of an AU meeting to discuss that matter.”
The President expressed satisfaction with the operation and the conduct of UPDF so far.
“Our troops are doing very well. It seems they are quite popular. The people there like their conduct.”
He warned them against being diverted or engaging in businesses. “I don’t want them to be involved in cargo. Their work is to stop anybody who comes to attack the airport.”
The UPDF contingent, the first of an 8,000 strong African Union force, secured Mogadishu Airport last Saturday.
“The airport is now fully operational, with many passenger and cargo planes flying in and out”, said the UPDF spokesman, Capt. Paddy Ankunda, in Mogadishu.
“We are taking our time to deploy in the city.”
The Ugandans are concentrating on securing vital government installations first, before taking on their other task, protecting the transitional government which had set up base in Baidoa, 250 km to the west.
Yesterday, Somalia’s government voted overwhelmingly to move to Mogadishu. The move is seen as a crucial step of the government to impose its authority over the whole country, two and a half years after its appointment.
President Abdullahi Yusuf told parliament yesterday that his government was making preparations for a long-awaited national reconciliation conference. Prime Minister Ali Gedi will soon meet donors in Kenya over the conference.
Source: New Vision, Mar 12, 2007