EU,Norway Urge Somali Government,Islamists To Start Peace Talks
BRUSSELS (AP)--The European Union and Norway Wednesday called on Somalia's interim government and Islamists to hold talks to forge a lasting peace plan that could be backed by African-led peacekeepers.
"It has to be our objective to do our utmost to ensure that developments in Somalia lead to stabilization, lead in a positive direction," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters after chairing talks among European members of an international contact group for Somalia.
Steinmeier said the meeting, which included ministers from the U.K., Sweden, Norway and Italy, concluded that a renewed political dialogue among fighting factions in Somalia was the only way out of the current crisis, adding that the recent offensive by Somali government forces, backed by Ethiopian troops, offered a new chance for peace.
"It is a window of opportunity to take the process of national reconciliation in Somalia forward," said Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.
Steinmeier said the situation remains "serious," adding that Germany, which currently holds the E.U. presidency, had sent diplomats to Kenya and Ethiopia to gauge interest for a peacekeeping mission and to discuss restarting peace talks among Somali factions.
"The next few weeks will show where Somalia is heading in terms of prospects," he said. He added that all members of the U.S.-formed International Contact Group for Somalia would meet in Nairobi Friday.
Steinmeier said the E.U. and Norway would urge the contact group to accept three tasks - push for a cease-fire, improve the humanitarian situation and convince Somali factions to accept fresh peace talks.
E.U. officials said they were also keen on promoting an international peacekeeping force, but Steinmeier ruled out a significant European role in such a mission.
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