Somali govt rejects peace deal

MOGADISHU – Somalia’s transitional government on Saturday rejected a new peace deal that was agreed to by a powerful but renegade lawmaker and the country’s Islamic movement in an attempt to avert a war between the two sides.

“The government does not accept this initiative,” government spokesperson Abdirahman Dinari told The Associated Press by telephone. “It is totally unacceptable.”The tentative peace accord was agreed late on Friday in Mogadishu between the Islamic group, which controls the capital and most of southern Somalia, and parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheik Aden.Aden attended the meeting, however, without authorisation from the transitional government, which has accused him of breaking ranks and trying to undermine its authority.Dinari said the parliament speaker did not have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of the government, which is based in Baidoa, 250 kilometres southwest of the capital.”Reconciliation is the task of the government,” Dinari said after a cabinet meeting called to discuss a government response to the newly announced peace initiative.Late Friday the Islamic group and parliamentarians loyal to the speaker called on the transitional government to back the deal.”This is a first step, and we are headed for peace,” said Ibrahim Hassan Adow, the Islamic Courts spokesperson for foreign affairs.”We hope this agreement will prevent a conflict in Somalia,” Omar Hashi, a parliamentarian who signed the agreement on behalf of the speaker, told The Associated Press.The deal focuses on seven key points, and includes a pledge by both sides not to allow foreign interference in Somalia.AP”It is totally unacceptable.”The tentative peace accord was agreed late on Friday in Mogadishu between the Islamic group, which controls the capital and most of southern Somalia, and parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheik Aden.Aden attended the meeting, however, without authorisation from the transitional government, which has accused him of breaking ranks and trying to undermine its authority.Dinari said the parliament speaker did not have a mandate to negotiate a deal on behalf of the government, which is based in Baidoa, 250 kilometres southwest of the capital.”Reconciliation is the task of the government,” Dinari said after a cabinet meeting called to discuss a government response to the newly announced peace initiative.Late Friday the Islamic group and parliamentarians loyal to the speaker called on the transitional government to back the deal.”This is a first step, and we are headed for peace,” said Ibrahim Hassan Adow, the Islamic Courts spokesperson for foreign affairs.”We hope this agreement will prevent a conflict in Somalia,” Omar Hashi, a parliamentarian who signed the agreement on behalf of the speaker, told The Associated Press.The deal focuses on seven key points, and includes a pledge by both sides not to allow foreign interference in Somalia.AP