Sunday, December 03, 2006

Ethiopia-Somali Peace Talks: Long History of Conflict Mostly Christian Ethiopia and Muslim Somalia have fought two full-fledged wars in the second half of the Twentieth Century, along with numerous border clashes (see Ethiopia-Somali War and Conflicts). Today, Ethiopian troops stand on Somali soil in support of the weak government of President Abdullahi Yusuf, a Somali warlord and long-time ally of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian leader, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, is seeking to prevent the rival Somali forces of the Union of Islamic Courts from gaining control over the country. Ethiopia is supported by the United States, who fears that the Islamic Courts are a front for al-Qaida and other Islamist forces hostile to the U.S. and to the West. Ethiopian and Islamic Courts representatives met recently to hold talks aimed at preventing all-out war. The odds are long on a peaceful resolution, given the ugly history between the two nations, and the Christian vs. Muslim aspect to this issue. Ethiopians meet Somali Islamists: Ethiopia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Tekeda Alemu, has held direct talks in Djibouti with senior representatives of Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts. 1:52:18 PM    comment []

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