By Marie-Louise Gumuchian
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Under the co-mediation of the Arab League and Kenya - chair of regional body IGAD - they are to meet in the Sudanese capital for talks that so far have produced little other than a promise to recognise each other and not to make military moves.
But though the Islamists' 16-man delegation flew aboard an Arab League plane to the talks on Sunday, they warned they would not participate if Ethiopia does not pull its troops out of Somalia.
"Unless they leave Somali territory there is no point of us attending the meeting. We will not take part if Kenya chairs the meeting," Islamist foreign relations chief Ibrahim Hussein Adow said before boarding the plane in Mogadishu.
The rise of the Islamists, who control much of the south after seizing the capital Mogadishu in June, has isolated the Western-backed government and hampered its attempts to impose central rule on a country in chaos since 1991.
In September negotiations, delayed from previously stalled talks after claims of violations from both sides, they agreed in principle to create joint military forces and reconvene for power-sharing talks on political and security issues.
Fearing the stand-off could spark a regional crisis sucking in Ethiopia and Eritrea, analysts say a ceasefire should take priority.
"What we need is real focus from the parties and pressure from their international partners on really one thing only and that is a security protocol," regional analyst Matt Bryden said.
"The power-sharing is going to have to wait ... It's too much of a stretch at this stage."
Source: Reuters, Oct. 29, 2006