By Andrew Cawthorne
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somalia's fledgling government said on Sunday it should be ready to start offering oil, gas and mineral concessions "in a few months" -- but sternly warned foreign firms from dealing with the wrong people.
The Horn of Africa nation's resources were attracting attention from the West, including major oil producers, before it descended into chaos in 1991 with the toppling of former dictator Mohammed Siad Barre.
Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi told reporters in Nairobi foreign firms should now deal exclusively with the new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia.
In the 14th bid to re-install central government in Somalia, the TFG was formed last year in the relative security of neighbouring Kenya and is now trying to set up at home, hampered by internal divisions and the continued power of warlords.
Gedi cited the case of an unnamed Australian-led joint venture that he said had offered some advances to authorities in the northern region of Puntland for oil and gas exploration.
"Foreign companies/investors should stop their attempts of dealing with local administrations/authorities like in the case of Puntland State of Somalia without prior consent from the Transitional Federal Government," he said in a statement.
"Any violation of this statement will result in negative consequences and the external and/or internal culprits will take the responsibilities on their shoulders."
Somalia lies across the Gulf of Aden from the Arabian peninsula and next to Ethiopia's Ogaden region, which has proven reserves of natural gas.
"CONTINUOUS" INTEREST
Companies including Total, Amoco, Chevron and Conoco and Phillips -- which have since merged into ConocoPhillips -- held exploration concessions in northern Somalia in the 1980s.
Gedi said his government was "continuously" receiving applications to explore, produce and market Somalia's resources.
"But unless the government puts in place specific legislations for natural resources management such as a national hydrocarbon law, it will be categorically impossible to give concessions for exploration and production of such natural resources," he said.
Gedi said "it will take a few months" to complete the preparatory and legislative work for concessions.
"I appeal to the friendly countries of the world and the international organisations to help Somalia in safeguarding its natural resources from any illegal violators," he added.
The Western firms declared force majeure in Somalia following the collapse of the central government in 1991.
That is a clause in a contract exempting the parties from obligations as a result of conditions beyond their control.
Analysts say 14 years of war and anarchy in Somalia has left a complex legal legacy. Some of the old exploration concessions were in a part of northern Somalia that is now within the territory of Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991.
"We will review all the old concessions," Gedi said, without giving more details.
Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf told Reuters last week he had not read the old contracts but planned to see them. Gedi said foreign governments including China had been talking to the Somali government about possible investment in energy.