EXTERNAL NEWS

ESSY WELCOMES SOMALI CESSATION OF HOSTILITY DECLARATION

Addis Ababa, 29 October 2002 (PANA)

African Union (AU) Commission's interim chairman Amara Essy has welcomed the cessation of hostilities declaration signed Sunday night at the Somali national reconciliation conference in Eldoret, Kenya.

An AU press release issued in Addis Ababa Tuesday quoted Essyas saying the development was an encouraging step towards reconciliation and peace in Somalia. "The AU commission chairman also encourages the Somali parties to continue to demonstrate the same commitment and sprit of tolerance mutual accommodation among themselves," the release said.

 Somali has lacked a central government since the ouster of former President Mohammed Siad Barre by an assortment of clan-based guerrilla groups in January 1991. Barre died while in exile in Nigeria a few years ago. A transitional national government established in Djibouti two years ago has been running the country but certain warlords contest its legitimacy.