22/09/08 (B466) Garowe On Line. Après trois jours, la conférence de Djibouti s’achève sur un constat de désaccord. Djibouti: Somalia peace conference ends in dispute (En Anglais – Info lecteur)

Three days of peace negotiations between the Somali interim government and an opposition faction ended Sunday without an agreement, Radio Garowe reported.

Interim Somali Prime Minister Nur « Adde » Hassan Hussein is leading a government delegation as negotiations continue regarding the Djibouti Agreement, reached on June 9 between the government and the opposition faction, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS).

ARS delegates refused to sign the expected agreement after a dispute erupted about a clause regarding the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from major towns, sources said.

The government’s negotiating team argued that Ethiopian troops will be withdrawn only from « civilian centers » but will remain inside the major towns, the sources added.

UN Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah confirmed to reporters that the ARS delegation refused to sign the security clause, but both sides formally signed a clause declaring support for humanitarian relief efforts.