Somalia's powerful Islamic movement demanded that the country's weak government drop requests for foreign peacekeepers as they laid out a series of tough positions at peace talks here. The item topped a list of Islamist demands presented on the third day of Arab League-mediated negotiations, ahead of a Tuesday meeting in Kenya of leaders of potential contributor nations to the proposed force, officials said. In addition to renewing vehement objections to the proposed regional peacekeeping mission, the Islamists also insisted on the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops alleged to be in Somalia to protect the interim government. | “... any deployment against our wishes will spoil everything, including the small peace in the country... ” |
The Islamic delegates in Khartoum also demanded complete respect for Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity if any agreement is to be reached at the talks, which are aimed at easing tensions that threaten further chaos in the lawless nation. "We reject the sending of peacekeepers to Somalia," said a senior member of the Islamist team, describing the contents of the position paper that was distributed privately at the Khartoum hotel where the talks are underway. "The people of Somalia can restore peace in their country without the help of peacekeepers," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The Islamists' strong stand is not surprising given previous threats from their senior leadership to resist the deployment of any foreign troops, particularly those from Ethiopia that they claim are already on Somali soil.