14/11/08 (B473-B) Shabelle – L’opposition somalienne officielle (ARS) affirme que les troupes éthiopiennes vont se retirer selon les termes des accords signés à Djibouti. // Somali opposition official says Ethiopian troops to withdraw on schedule (En Anglais – Info lecteur)

The Djibouti-based faction of the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia [ARS] led by Sheikh Sharif has said Ethiopian troops will withdraw from Somalia at the time agreed in the Djibouti talks.

Speaking to Shabelle, the Secretary of Internal Affairs of the Djibouti-based ARS and also chairman of the Security Committee, Omar Hashi Adan, who had signed the agreement on behalf of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad, said Ethiopian troops will withdraw from the country on the scheduled agreed time during the Djibouti talks.

He said the plan is that the Ethiopian troops first withdraw from Mogadishu neighbourhoods on 21 November, and from Somalia entirely by 29 December which is around the corner.

Adan said it is possible that things might take a different twist. He also said there have been delays on technical plans which were to be implemented by the Transitional Federal Government and the ARS.

He was asked whether the cease-fire agreement has been broken since the fighting was ongoing. He said the international community has not raised any concerns about the cease-fire agreement and that is an indication that there are no major reservations about the issue.

The statement by Omar Hashi Adan comes at a time when a lot of people are waiting to see what the outcome of the Djibouti agreement between the TFG and Djibouti-based ARS will be.

Some of the most important parts of the agreement whose implementation is anticipated is the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from residential areas in Mogadishu, which was agreed will be in another seven days from now.

There are no apparent signs that the agreement will be implemented, other than the signed agreement as Ethiopian troops are still in the areas. One and half month is remaining until the Ethiopian troops are expected to withdraw from Somalia.