"Ethiopia and Sudan are the cornerstones of peace and development in the Horn" of Africa, Beshir told the Amharic-language government weekly Efoyta in an interview in Khartoum. ·

"There have been misunderstandings between us in the past," Beshir said, adding however that "our relations and our contacts have never been broken." ·

Bilateral ties deteriorated after a June 1995 assassination attempt in Addis Ababa on visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. ·

Ethiopia is still seeking the extradition of two suspects who it says are in Sudan. ·

Relations have also been strained over Khartoum's allegation that Addis Ababa backs the Sudanese opposition fighting in the east of the country. ·

"Ethiopia brought consignments of arms to Beletwein, central Somalia, this week and distributed them to anti-peace elements and groups, including those based in my area of responsibility," Ali Mahdi told AFP in an interview.

Addis Ababa's actions would not "compromise the strong Somali patriotism (and determination) to fight colonialism".

Ali Mahdi said Ethiopia was responsible for the prolonged civil war in Somalia, adding that Addis Ababa was "vandalising the work of peace".

"I don't think Ethiopia's cowardly intentions planned by militia diplomats will be effective in Somalia," said Ali Mahdi.

He appealed to the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Arab League, the Islamic League and the European Union to investigate Ethiopia's arming of warring factions in Somalia.

The Abgal clan leader said Ethiopia's relations with Somalia are characterised by "invasion, destabilisation and encouraging us to kill each other".

Security officials in north Mogadishu told AFP that the weapons from Ethiopia were mainly guns and ammunition, but also anti-aircraft 37mm rockets, 106mm recoilless rifles, grenade launchers and spare parts for some old weapons, used since the overthrow of dicator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

"Whatever is provided by Ethiopia will not bring unpopular groups to power, Ethiopia cannot establish a puppet administration and bring hand-picked elements to serve its hidden agenda," said Ali Mahdi.

Ethiopia allegedly gave arms to the Hawadle clan's United Somali Congress/Patriotic Movement, the Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA) which is fighting warlord Hussein Mohamed Aidid and the Abgal United Somali Congress/Somali Salvation Alliance, Ali Mahdi said.

Reliable sources in the Somali capital said lorries and armed trucks left Mogadishu on Tuesday for Beletwein to collect weapons acquired by warlord Hussein Haji Bod, a rival of Ali Mahdi.

Bod is currently in Beletwein.

Aidid has also been importing consignments of weapons by air and sea since January and distributing them to his supporters.

Aidid's arms were allegedly donated by Eritrea, Yemen and Libya. The Yemeni government has, however, denied giving weapons to Aidid or any other Somali faction.