ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Dec 15, 2014 (Garowe Online)-The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has met with Jubaland Vice President Gen. Abdullahi Sheikh Ismael (Fartag) in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Sunday evening, Garowe Online reports.

The discussion centred on ways of strengthening the bilateral relations between Puntland and the newly-formed federal state of Jubaland, with sources disclosing that the fraternal states denied reports that had since been circulating in the press.

"It's baseless and unfounded that Jubaland will take part in the isolation of Puntland," officials were quoted as saying.

President Ali and Vice President Ismael underlined the need for further cooperation in various fields including the security and economic infrastructure.

Some Somali news sites wrote about purported trilateral meeting which would be a severe setback to Puntland.

Despite stiff resistance from Mogadishu-based Federal Government, Jubaland was formally set up in August 2013

Puntland leader also held talks with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mahad Abdalle Awad on the urgently pressing issues ahead for Somalia.

On Sunday, Ali left Puntland capital of Garowe for Addis Ababa for a conference on radicalism and security.

GAROWE ONLINE