GAROWE, Somalia
Jun 23 2012 (Garowe Online) – The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and
Somaliland talks that wrapped up in England, excluded the Puntland
government which criticized the secluded meeting, Garowe Online
The meetings held in Kent county between TFG and Somaliland cabinet ministers wrapped up on Thursday, to the disapproval of the
Puntland government after two ministers were excluded from the talks.
The Puntland government issued a letter to the EU and UK ambassadors who were overseeing the talks,
requesting that the meetings be reconsidered because of the lack of Puntland representation
at the conference.
The Puntland letter issued a day before the talks began in England, stated
that if Puntland is left out of the meeting that it would not accept the outcome
of the dialogue.
“Puntland will not accept the new development or outcome of
the proposed meeting in London, which entails dialogue
with Somaliland that excludes Puntland to satisfy
separatists’ demands,” read the letter, signed by Puntland President Abdirahman
Mohamed Farole.
The letter also discusses the fact that the meeting between
south Somalia and Somaliland could help legitimize a false precedent of what
Puntland calls “defunct colonial boundaries” which, “attempts to deny the
reality on the ground.”
In the letter also talks about Somaliland
and Puntland’s continuing dispute over territories and the need for dialogue
between the two. For the past 10 years the two governments have contested over
regions in northern Somalia
which both governments lay claim to.
Puntland’s response to the proposed meetings fell on deaf ears
as the meeting wrapped up in England
on Thursday.
The outcomes of the meeting have not been released but officials did say they agreed to continue talks in the future.
Earlier this year Somaliland
pulled out of talks with the TFG after President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed appointed
two ministers from Puntland to join the discussions.
The meeting which was thought to be cancelled, convened after
the two Puntland ministers were left out of the delegation.
GAROWE ONLINE
