Secretary-General welcomes outcome of second round of talks between Somali parties

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the outcome of the second round of talks held between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Islamic Courts in Khartoum from 2 to 4 September, under the auspices of the League of Arab States.

The Secretary-General commends the parties for having taken this positive step forward in efforts to resolve their differences through dialogue and consultations, with a view to achieving lasting peace and stability in Somalia.  He encourages the parties to implement what has been agreed upon thus far, and to do everything possible to ensure a conducive environment for the next round of talks, which will take up crucial political, power-sharing and security issues.

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For information media • not an official record