Yemen role with Somalia [Archives:2007/1016/Opinion]

Editorial of Al-Thawra newspaper on Jan. 7
Yemen's concern and interest in the stability of the situation in Somalia has many considerations although this stability is imposed by factors of geographic relations of historical connection and necessities of keeping regional security and stability. Yemen's interest in Somalia's stability is also because Yemen is the first country affected by Somalia's instability through the waves of migrants and refugees who flood towards it after they had been forced to flee their country by civil wars. This influx of migrants and refugees entails economic, social and security burdens and complications. In addition, there are its reflections that affect Yemen with what happens in Somalia directly or indirectly.

Against this connection that we remind with Yemen political leadership, under President Ali Abdullah Saleh, has adopted a pursuit towards Somalia, which is drowned in a quagmire of violence, disturbance and internal conflicts for 16 years.

The features of this responsibility have appeared in the efforts continuously exerted by Yemeni diplomacy for the restoration of security and stability to the territories of Somalia and the establishment of accord and reconciliation among the factions and conflicting parties. Those efforts were not interrupted throughout the years.

Any follow-up of that strategy that Yemen has been pursuing and committing to in its dealing with the situation in Somalia to prevent expansion of the fire circle in that country, it must not be overlooked that the Yemeni role focused on encouraging Somali parties to engage into dialogue to tackle their disputes especially after other options had failed to extinguish the raging fire..

Here is Yemen confirming and emphasizing this option by urging all the Somali parties to return to dialogue table out of its conviction that any agreement in order to achieve success it must be founded on a ground of accord and comprehensive reconciliation among the Somali factions. This Yemeni vision is at present received with support by the international community, mainly the United States, which was frankly expressed by the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs in the wake her meeting with President Saleh in Aden this month. She affirmed the support of Washington for the dialogue between all Somali parties including the Islamic Courts Union after she found out that the Yemeni proposition contains a reasonable endeavor guaranteeing the salvaging Somalia from the impasse it is suffering and to transfer it to climates of security and stability.

With crystallization of such convictions it is important that the international community speed up its material and political support necessary for the Somali people in the way enabling them to restore building their state establishments and surmounting their pains and wounds and also to turn the chapter of the past and to advance towards the future with the spirit of accord and national reconciliation and unity.

If this will is available the brethren in Somalia can deliver their country from the whirlwind of fratricide and conflict and save it from the fever of seditions, chaos and disputes that deepened its silent and continuous wars and made the distance between it and any attempt to reconstruct a new state of Somalia.

It requires that all concede for the interest of their country and its stability on the way leading to consolidation of national peace in Somalia. It will also lead to salvaging what remains before it becomes impossible.
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[archive-e:1016-v:14-y:2007-d:2007-01-15-p:opinion]