NAIROBI, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States on Monday welcomed the "Aden Declaration" reached by rival Somali factions last week, the first concrete political cease-fire reached by the leaders of the Horn of Africa nation since relocating nearly a year ago.
The U.S. State Department, in a statement issued in Nairobi Monday, said they were "heartened" by their commitment to turn a new page in Somalia's political life.
"We are heartened by their commitment to turn a new page in Somalia's political life, to respect the Somali Transitional Federal Charter, and to convene the Parliament in regular session within 30 days, as expressed in their joint declaration," the U.S. State Department said.
Somali leaders have been involved in endless feuding over the seat of power and where the interim authority should be located and the dispute has failed to get an amicable resolution despite high-profile attempts by UN Secretary-General's envoy to Somalia.
But last week, Yemeni leader Abdalla Saleh convened a reconciliatory meeting between the Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf and Speaker of the Transitional Parliament Sheikh Adan Hassan to hold the first parliamentary sitting at a neutral city in Somalia.
The two leaders did not specify which town would host the first sitting inside Somalia but insiders said the meeting was likely to be held in Baidoa.
The interim government is currently based in Jowhar, about 90 km north of capital Mogadishu.
The agreement is seen as the first major step for the feuding Somali factions to restore unity and end the dark shadows that has paralyzed the numerous attempts to restore government in Somalia since 1991 when it descended into anarchy.
Efforts by UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Somalia Francois Fall to convince the two factions to forge a united front and help restore unity in the Horn of Africa nation have fallen short of expectations despite an invitation for a cabinet meeting in Mogadishu last year, which failed to take place.
The two factions led by Somalia's president and parliament speaker agreed last week to convene the legislature within 30 days.
The Somali leaders have been divided from the time the government was sworn-in with the speaker often accusing President Yusuf of undermining his authority granted in accordance with the interim constitution, the Somali Federal Charter.
The first parliamentary sitting in Somalia, analysts say, would be a first for the fledgling Somali government since returning home from exile in June 2005 after its formation following a protracted peace negotiation process which produced a clan-based power-sharing accord.
The United States also urged all Somali ministers, legislators, civil society, business and religious leaders to support the accord, which has been blamed for the government's slow attempt to impose its authority and reign-in on the warlords.
Somali has been hit by a series of hijackings and pirate attacks against foreign ships, plying the Indian Ocean coast and a split between the president's and speaker's factions has hindering the government's reform agenda and compromising security.
The speaker is believed to control the Mogadishu warlords and is seen as a major power if the government is to gain support of the Mogadishu merchants and warlords, who have divided the country into a patch of fiefdoms for revenue administration.
The Horn of Africa nation has been run by warlords since the ousting of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Somali peace process Chief Mediator Bethwel Kiplagat also welcomed the Yemeni accord, saying it was encouraging, but other western diplomats said the proof of their agreement will be if parliament actually meets.
Diplomats and analysts say that while the Yusuf-Hassan fears among Somali factions that the government may be dissolved or key figures removed at the meeting may hamper its chances, they said.
The agreement left out contentious issues of where to locate the government -- Yusuf's faction is in the provincial city of Jowhar while Hassan's is in the capital Mogadishu -- is also unresolved.
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