Xinhua
Thursday, June 28, 2012
The President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFGS) Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Somaliiland President Ahmed Mohamoud Silanyo met in Dubai Thursday and agreed to continue talks on mutual relationship.
The meeting was hosted by the United Arab Emiarets (UAE) on both sides' request at the sidelines of the 2nd two-day Counter Piracy Conference held in Dubai on June 27 to 28. The meeting followed an agreement to start talks made in London on June 20-21 when both sides met for the first time in 21 years.
Somaliland, located in the north of Somalia, has been striving for independence since 1991 but has not yet achieved recognition by the UN.
Both Presidents said at the signing ceremony of the Dubai Statement that further talks shall lead to stability in Somalia and that both sides hope to work together to fight maritime piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
Somaliland Foreign Minister Mohamed Omar said to Xinhua that the statement was binding to all federal states of Somalia. "Somalilad is stable and free of Shabaab terrorists and pirates. We can contribute to work for a long-term stability in the country. "