The meeting in a hotel in Nazareth, 75 miles east of Addis Ababa, came as Kenyan officials and politicians complained about raids into Kenya by Ethiopian soldiers pursuing rebels of the Oromo Liberation Army.

Private KTN television in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, reported that four Ethiopian soldiers had been killed by Kenyan soldiers Tuesday near the Kenyan border town of Moyale. No further details were immediately available.

The agenda for the meeting, which began Monday, has not been made public, but the Bezza and Atkurot independent newspapers quoted unidentified sources who said maintaining peace along the 62-mile border was the main item.

Spokesman for the RRA, Mohamed Ali Aden Qalinleh, said in Mogadishu that his forces are now still chasing the fleeing militiamen of Aidid in the bush surrounding Baidoa.

Meanwhile, in an official press statement issued here Monday, the office of Aidid declared that they lost Baidoa Sunday. The statement claimed that Aidid's forces in Baidoa were attacked by what they called forces from Tigre of Ethiopia who according to them shelled the town indiscriminately and massacred civilians.

Radio of the Aidid's faction also said that the Tigre troops, who earlier captured the towns of Dolow, Bulo Hawo, Luq and several other towns in Gedo region, are now further advancing towards the airport of Ballidogleh, the only tarmac airport which is only 90 kms south of Mogadishu.

Ballidogleh, the largest air defensive airport for the late regime, airport is a major source of revenue for Aidid's faction. But the RRA denied forces from Ethiopia were fighting alongside with its fighters.

However, civilians who fled Baidoa confirmed Monday morning that the fighters on the RRA side were using more than 60 battle wagons including anti-aircraft machine guns mounted with binoculars.

An independent source confirmed that more than 20 battle wagons belonging to Aidid's faction were either destroyed or captured. A man who fled Baidoa said he has seen eight of Aidid's battle wagons blazing at the southern entrance of Baidoa town.

Moreover, travelers who reached Mogadishu Monday afternoon said that Aidid's forces using dozens of battle wagons are now regrouping in Bur Hakaba town, about 30 kms south of Baidoa town on the way to Mogadishu.

The statement of the Aidid's office also said the extent of damage and casualties are beyond count.

However, militia sources said that 23 of Aidid's fighters are confirmed dead, while many more are still missing.

More wounded militiamen from Aidid's faction had been pouring into the treatment centers of south Mogadishu since Sunday especially increasing in number at night.

A driver, who escaped the fighting in Baidoa but lost his civilian Land cruiser to the RRA fighters, said that it was the most serious attack the RRA fighters had ever launched on the militia bases of Aidid in the town.

One of the wounded militiamen also said the attacking men were more than 500. The heavily-armed men, who launched their offensive from every corner, especially concentrated their attack in the heart of the town, thus separating Aidid's militiamen who were based on both ends of the town.

One of the main faction leaders in Somalia, Hussein Aideed, says his forces have lost control of the town of Baidoa, after several days of heavy fighting with a rival militia, the Rahanwein Resistance Army.

A statement from Mr Aideed said there'd been extensive damage to the town and heavy loss of life.

A spokesman for the Rahanwein Resistance Army Mohammed Ali Aden Qalinleh said Mr Aideed's militiamen were now fleeing into the bush surrounding Baidoa.

Wounded fighters and civilians are still reported to be arriving in the capital, Mogadishu, for treatment.

Mr Aideed's forces have accused Ethiopia of backing the Rahanwein Resistance Army, but this has been denied both by the Ethiopian government and the RRA.

Mr Aideed's faction is thought to be backed by Eritrea.

The plant, owned by entrepreneur Etenesh Abraha, cost over 30 million birr (3.8 million U.S. dollars). It is located in Worda 17 in eastern Addis Ababa (7.9 birr = 1 dollar).

Kebede commended Etenesh for her initiative in undertaking a venture in a field which has not been exploited so far.

He urged local and foreign investors to make use of the improved investment climate in Ethiopia.

Etenesh said the new plant will manufacture two million disposable syringes during the first production year. This would be increased by some 70 percent within a year or two by raising the plant's annual production to 42 million disposable syringes, she added.