Thursday, July 01, 2010
HARGEISA — The president of Somalia's self-declared Somaliland state said Thursday he would step down if he was defeated in presidential polls held at the weekend.
Dahir Riyale Kahin had faced strong challenges from two opposition candidates in Saturday's elections in the northern breakaway region striving for international recognition.
"If I lose the election I will hand over responsibility in a very... democratic way," Kahin told reporters.
The elections were conducted peacefully without violence or instances of suspected fraud.
Somaliland seceded from the rest of Somalia in 1991 four months after the overthrow of president Mohamed Siad Barre.
Source: AFP