By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The country has been urged to embark on full preparations for talks with Somalia rather than concentrate on the USA recognition of the government in Mogadishu.
The urgings were made by former finance minister Ambassador Hussein Ali Duale ‘Awil’ during an exclusive Hornnewspaper interview in which he also termed the recognition as nothing new thus without adverse effects to the being of Somaliland.
While informing that the recent announcement of Somali government in Washington was just a formality Amb Awil said that the US has all along recognized various governments in Mogadishu that it helps prop as can be discerned from the Hilary Clinton-Sheikh Sharif meeting in Nairobi.
Stressing on the fact that the formal recognition of the Mogadishu government does change neither the US nor the international community’s dealings with Somaliland, Amb Awil urged the Silanyo administration to embark on preparing fruit bearing agendas for talks with Somalia.
Touching on the USA dual track policy for engaging with Somalia and Somaliland Amb Awil said that his experiences of the policy during his tenure at the Hargeisa treasury show the gains were negligible as only the intelligence service was properly funded while the bulk of US funds went to Mogadishu.
Stressing on the importance of talks with Somalia the former finance minister in the former Administration of president Rayale said, “Our sovereignty has been irrevocable for 20 years, history testifies to it and the world is aware of it” “the international community has accepted and is fronting talks between the former united countries thus a clear indication of covert recognition of the existence of Somaliland”
He said this is a good sign for Somaliland if the 1991 talks between the then USA Recognized Ethiopia and Eretria which Washington did not recognize is anything to go by.
