Silanyo flies to Dubai to meet with Sheikh Sharif

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Somaliland President flies to Dubai to meet with Sheikh Sharif



HARGEISA — Somaliland President Ahmed M. Silanyo is set to meet with his Somali counterpart Sheikh Sharif Ahmed in Dubai for the first ever bilateral talks in twenty-one years.

Mr. Silanyo on Wednesday morning left the capital, Hargeisa, for the seaport town of Berbera where he is set to depart for Dubai, United Arab Emirates for this landmark discussion.

President Sharif has already arrived in the Gulf nation on Tuesday for talks with key allies including the government of the Emirates on number of issues. He was reportedly seeking financial and technical support for the war against maritime piracy during the counter-piracy conference at Al Jawhara Gardens Hotel in Jumeirah.

Silanyo and Sharif are set to meet on the sidelines of the conference hosted by the government of the UAE and global ports operator, DP World.

The development comes days after negotiators from both sides agreed to an 8-point plan that paved the way for substantive talks. The meeting at Chevening House on 20-21 June was co-hosted by the UK government, EU and Norway at the request of Somali leaders. The agreement was dubbed the Chevening House Declaration and it calls for the two presidents to meet.

The British Foreign Secretary William Hague said his government “will work with international partners to support their efforts as they continue this important and historic dialogue,” in a statement on his website. The international community and regional players including Ethiopia and Djibouti have welcomed the new chapter between Hargeisa and Mogadishu.

Even though this historical and much-waited talks are said to be closer, few are holding their breath for a quick and satisfactory outcome. The two sides have two opposite demands and tough preconditions. Somaliland said it will not budge nor compromise on its sovereignty and statehood. It clearly stated that it wants to enter into a dialogue with the transitional government of Sheikh Sharif as two equal states. Somalia on its side wants to satisfy Somaliland to rejoin Somalia under a federal system.

There is growing scepticism among the Somaliland public that the two leaders will find a common ground. Some expressed concern about the host saying that they do not regard the UAE as a neutral country but one that will pledge its full support for most Arab League member nations. According to sources close to President Sharif, the UAE wants to propose its style form of government or federations.

Before President Silanyo left Hargeisa all main roads were blocked and sources close to him confirmed to Somalilandpress that he was on his way to Dubai.

Somaliland and Somalia merged into what was widely known as the Somali Republic 52 years ago from this week. Half a century later they are still trying to find a solution for the divided Somali people.

The declaration in Chevening House states:

The Participants:

Agreed that the talks would take place between two sides – the TFG (or its replacement) and Somaliland, in accordance with paragraph 6 of the London Conference Communiqué and paragraph 10 of the Istanbul II Conference Communiqué;

Noted the need to adopt a common approach to avoid anything that would undermine the continuation of the talks as defined above;

Committed to the continuation of the talks and called on the two presidents to meet to review progress as soon as possible;

Called on the international community to continue to facilitate the talks, including providing the two sides with external experts on legal, economic and security matters;

Agreed to share experience on working more effectively with the international community on the use of development and humanitarian assistance for the people of both sides and called for the international community to increase that assistance;

Agreed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, extremism and serious crimes;

Agreed to cooperate in the fight against piracy at sea and on land, maritime crime, illegal fishing and toxic dumping; and

Reiterated their support for ending the Transition in Somalia.

Somalilandpress

June 27, 2012

http://somalilandpress.com/somaliland-p ... arif-31079