Islamists Deny They Met With Ethiopian Minister

Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

December 4, 2006

Aweys Osman Yusuf
Mogadishu

In an effort to put reconciliation between two foes, Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts and Ethiopian government, Djibouti put its shoulder to the wheel to put the two sides together in the Djibouti capital Djibouti.

Ethiopian state minister of foreign affairs Tekedda Alemu said , while briefing to the press, that there was ongoing effort on the Ethiopian side to negotiate with the Union of Islamic Courts to soothe the tension between Ethiopia and Islamists.

Islamic Courts chair for foreign affairs has told Shabelle that they did not meet with Ethiopian minister. "We demanded that all Ethiopian forces in Somalia should be withdrawn; only then will talks with Ethiopia be possible", said Adow.

He threatened that Islamic Courts would use force to evict the thousands of Ethiopian forces in Somalia. Ethiopian government says it only has 200 military advisors and trainers in the country to safeguard the fragile government based in the small town of Baidoa, 250 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu, and several thousands of military forces that were deployed along the border with Somalia.

Adow denied meeting with Ethiopian minister but said they met with Ethiopia officers in Djibouti.

Islamic Courts seized the capital early June this year after deadly battles with warlords and then expanded their powers into most central and southern provinces of the country.

Islamists that grabbed Dinsoor, which is 130 km away form the government base, claimed they reached somewhere 30 km away from Baidoa, a seat for the government.

Somalia has had no government since 1991 when tribal warlords ousted former president Siad Barre.