I did not expect Egypt which is versed in Somalia's history and represented the Ottoman caliphate, prior to the British colonization of Somaliland, and knew Somalia was the region colonized by the Italians would asks us about a meeting on reconciliation for Somalia, said President Riyale to the Egyptian envoy to Somaliland and Somalia, Salah Halima [as heard] who met the president this morning in his office.
The envoy who was accompanied the embassy counsellor told the president that he was on a fact-finding mission. He congratulated Somaliland and said the international community was impressed by the success attained by Somaliland. He added that he would like Somaliland to state it position at the Nairobi talks and that they wanted to provide additional medical and education assistance to Somaliland.
President Riyale who looked visibly displeased with the Egyptian position which has not changed, said Somaliland's freedom and the restoration of its independence could not be put in jeopardy and that the country would not talk to warring factions from southern Somalia. He said we are not a province which has broken away from its country. He said Egypt knew that Somaliland and Somalia were two sovereign states which joined in the pursuit of Greater Somalia which was popular in 1963 when the OAU was being created.
He said we ask you to remember the recognition granted to us by Egypt on 26 June as Somaliland and to renew it. He said you should not waste time on the matter and that the people of Somaliland had made an irrevocable decision on the matter as expressed by the referendum in which 97 per cent of the people approved the constitution.
The president stressed to the envoy that the people were not ready to hear about reunion with southern Somalia and that they were not opposed to have the two remain two brotherly countries, just as Egypt was with Syria when they unified and later separated.
The meeting was attended by the minister foreign affairs, Muhammad Si'id Ges and Muhammad Abdi Ismail.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 2 Oct 02 |
