Wednesday, September 28, 2011

'Somaliland is part of Somalia': PM Abdiweli Gas

'Somaliland is part of Somalia': PM Abdiweli Gas

Somalia’s interim Prime Minister Prof. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas has told the BBC Somali Service that the separatist region of Somaliland is “part of Somalia,” asserting political words that are sure to ignite a tough response from Somaliland’s ruling administration, Radio Garowe reports.



Somali PM Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas
Prime Minister Gas said that the international community “recognizes Somalia as one country” and commented that a “time shall come when Somali stakeholders including Somaliland will discuss how to strengthen the unity of Somalia.”

The Somali Prime Minister, who was appointed in June, is on a visiting trip to Denmark, days after he addressed the UN General Assembly in New York.

Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, unilaterally declared independence in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.

Prime Minister Gas said the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia “recognizes Somaliland as a state similar to Puntland,” adding: “What is important is to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and to agree on national interests.”

Speaking about Somali terror group Al Shabaab, Prime Minister Gas: “Within the one-year mandate of my administration, we shall remove terrorist groups from all of Somalia like the way we removed them from Mogadishu.”

GAROWE ONLINE

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