Somalia talks on track despite clan threat-mediator

13 Jul 2004 17:16:22 GMT

NAIROBI, July 13 (Reuters) - Somali peace talks are on track to agree on a transitional government later this month, ending a decade of bloodshed, despite threats by some clan leaders to pull out of the process, a senior mediator said on Tuesday.

Bethuel Kiplagat, the chief negotiator for the Somalia peace talks being held in Kenya, said he was confident the process of forging a parliament representing all the country's numerous warring sub clans would beat the July 31 deadline set by regional leaders.

Once the parliament is elected it will appoint a president who will head a new all-inclusive transitional government.

"Things are moving forward," Kiplagat told Reuters. "We are confident that everyone who is a stakeholder in the peace process will meet at the end of the week. All the ingredients are there for Somalia to have a stable national government".

His comments followed a threat on Tuesday by elders and clan leaders representing the important Dir clan -- one of the four major clans to be represented at the talks -- to withdraw.

The leaders accused mediators of imposing representatives on them.

"They are attempting to impose individuals not chosen by us, so we are withdrawing our participation in this conference," said faction leader Abullahi Ismail.

Somalia disintegrated into anarchy after former dictator Mohammed Siad Barre was toppled in 1991, leaving the Horn of Africa country without a central government and divided between rival warlords.

Somalia is now made up of two self-declared enclaves in the north and a patchwork of quarrelling clan fiefdoms in the south.

Kiplagat said he would try to convince the Dir clan not to boycott the conference.

"If they withdraw, this is not good for the conference at all. We are going to have to speak with them," he said.

"This is not a major political problem -- it's a nuisance."