Somalia: Puntland President criticizes TFG-Somaliland meeting 30 Jun 30, 2012 - 7:28:24 AM
DUBAI, UAE Jun 30 2012 (Garowe Online) – Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole criticized a meeting between Somaliland and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Presidents calling it a personal meeting, Garowe Online reports.
The TFG President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Somaliland President Mohamoud Ahmed Silanyo met in Dubai after attending an Anti-Piracy Conference in the city.
Puntland President Dr.Abdirahman Mohamed Farole
Speaking to BBC Somalia, Puntland President Farole described the meeting between the two Presidents as a “private meeting” discussing maters that “weren’t important to Somalis”.
According to the communiqué following their meeting, the purpose of the meeting was to formally endorse the TFG and Somaliland discussion process that began in England last week, a process that the Puntland government was left out of.
At the London conference earlier this year the leaders agreed to host discussion between the governments. TFG President Sharif assigned two Puntland ministers to join the TFG delegation at the discussion table but the ministers were later removed after Somaliland officials refused the addition.
The move upset Puntland officials who disapproved of the meeting that concluded in Chevening House located in Kent, England.
According to the communiqué released on Thursday following the Dubai meeting, the two Presidents agreed to continue dialogue and continue their meetings. The Thursday discussions were held by the UAE government “at the request of the two sides”.
Before President Silanyo and President Sharif met, Somali leadersn including Puntland President Farole agreed to continue their fight against piracy, with the UAE assuring that it would assist on-going anti piracy measures
