“Even if 100 years passes without recognition the Sovereignty of Somaliland is irrevocable thus non-negotiable-President Silanyo
“Our objective to be accomplished without bloodshed or coercion is the unification of Somalia- President Hasan
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The much acclaimed US and EU recognition of the government in Mogadishu is a benefit to Somaliland.
The president of Somalia Hasan Sheikh Mahmud has termed the ongoing recognition of his government by various segments of the international community as beneficial to not only his country but the republic of Somaliland as well.
President Hasan who made this remarks during an interview with the BBC Somali service was referring to comments by the Somaliland head of State Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo during a state of the union address to parliament where he said:
“We can attest that there is a good relationship between Somaliland and the US government and the US recognition of Somali government will have no impact in our ongoing and fruitful engagement with the US, Washington has further assured us that it made sure to clarify this with the Somali government before deciding to recognize them” Silanyo
Somaliland which is a former British protectorate entered into a voluntary union with Italian Somalia in 1960 and reclaimed its independence in 1991 after a decade long brutal civil war and has remained adamant to any suggestions of reconciliation thus reunion despite two decades of unfruitful quest for international recognition.
While Presiden
t Hasan Sheik of Somalia minced no words about his administrations goal of reuniting his country that fractured in the early 90’s, revealing that his strategy to effect reunification shall be based on dialogue and acquiesce as opposed to bloodshed and coercion.
Said he, “while it is dignified for Somalia to be reunited once again bloodshed is not the solution’
Hasan sheikh who is the first president to be Elected/selected inside Somalia territory in over two decades also informed that the status quos as pertains to his government’s relationship with Somaliland shall be maintained while awaiting agreements reached by the two neighbouring and former united countries during the resumption of the internationally sanctions talks between them
Since the fragmentation of the former greater united Somalia in 1991 the two countries met face to face for the first time in London and Dubai last year where a number of agreements we reached before Somaliland postponed the talks after the mandate of the Sheikh Sharif Government expired with subsequent elections bringing Hasan to office.
Though the talks are supported not only by the international community and citizens of both countries, the outcome is difficult to perceive considering that the two entities have differing and completely opposite objectives with Somalia pursuing reunification and Somaliland a stamp of approval for sovereignty.
With the Somalia peaceful reunification stance of President Hasan stand vis-à-vis the stance of President Silanyo on the irrevocability thus non-negotiable sovereignty of Somaliland even after 100 years of non-recognition the resumed talks are discerned as a hard nut to crack
Resumed talks are to be hosted in Britain by PM David Cameron in May of this year.
