Somali Interior Minister We are fortunate to sign agreement in the holly land

[General Duke]

Somali Government Considers Asking UN, Interpol To Arrest Opposition Members

 

Al-Sharq al-Awsat

Monday, September 17, 2007

Report by Khalid Mahmud in Cairo: " Arab, regional and international organizations welcome the Saudi role in solving the Somali crisis;

 

the Somali interior minister: We are fortunate to sign the reconciliation agreement in the holy land"

 

Somali Interior Minister Mohamed Mohamud Guled (Gamadhere) has expressed his optimism about Saudi Arabia's role in the efforts being made to solve the Somali crisis and find a comprehensive politcal settlement. Regional and Arab organizations have welcomed the efforts Saudi Arabia is exerting to advance the national reconciliation process through hosting all Somali parties to sign an agreement on the outcome of the national reconciliation conference that was recently held in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and lasted for 45 days.

 

In a statement to Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Gamadhere said: "The concern that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdallah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz, has displayed about achieving reconciliation and restoring security and stability in Somalia is highly appreciated by all segments of the Somali people." He pointed out that the Saudi intercession at the stage of signing the agreement will enable the Somali people to restore Arab political and media interest which they had lost. He added: "Fortunately, we will sign the outcome of what we have reached in Mogadishu in the holy land and during the holy month of Ramadan. We hope that these lofty spiritual and religious sentiments will reflect positively on the future situation in Somalia."

 

A high-level Somali delegation composed of the transitional troika leaders in Somalia (President Abdullahi Yusuf, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nur Madobe, and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi) arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday. They were accompanied by approximately 300 tribal leaders and the delegations representing the participants in the latest reconciliation conference.

 

For his part, Billard John Christoph, the EU official in charge of the Somali file, said: "The EU supports these very useful Saudi efforts," noting that the EU has been in constant contact with Saudi officials to consult over what ought to be done to help Somalia, which has been devastated by a crushing civil war for approximately 16 years. In a statement by telephone to Al-Sharq al-Awsat from Jedda, where he arrived yesterday to take part in the signing ceremony of the agreement on the outcome of the Somali reconciliation conference, Christoph said that Saudi Arabia's politcal clout and its religious and spiritual standing will have a positive affect on the Somali national reconciliation process. He pointed out that there is a consensus on the Saudi role among both the Somali parties themselves and among all other parties concerned with the Somali crisis. Christoph added: "The Saudi leadership and its presidency of the current Arab summit give the Saudi efforts more momentum."

 

EU envoy Christoph had visited Saudi Arabia earlier this year on an Arab and regional tour lasting about a month to acquaint himself with the various viewpoints on the situation in Somalia.

In a statement to Al-Sharq al-Awsat, an Arab League official said: "Saudi Arabia's gesture of hosting the meeting of the Somali national action leaders is within the context of implementing the resolutions of the 19th ordinary Arab summit that Saudi Arabia hosted in March." He pointed out that the Arab summit resolutions welcomed the invitation extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (president of the current Arab summit) to the Ministerial Committee on Somali to hold its forthcoming meeting in Jeddah. Participating in the meeting are the Somali transitional government as well as the Somali politcal, civil, religious, and nongovernmental forces. The conferees will examine the best means to expedite the Somali national reconciliation process and to request the General Secretariat (of the Arab League) to coordinate with the parties concerned in the Saudi Foreign Ministry to take the necessary measures, including holding consultations with all the parties concerned, to ensure successful preparations for this meeting as soon as possible.