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Somali Opposition Group in Ethiopia Discussing National Reconciliation
A Somali opposition delegation is currently in Addis Ababa consulting with Ethiopian officials on the reconciliation of various factional groups in Somalia.
Members of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRR),an opposition group composed of warlords opposing to the Somali transitional government, have in the past two daysŁ¬conferred in separate meetings with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin on the developments in Somalia.
In the separate meetings, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum urged the Somali delegates to be "open and brutally frank" in their consultation, because it is only in that way that the leaders could achieve lasting peace in Somalia.
Abdulhi Sheik Ismael, current chairman of the SRRC, said that the delegation was "very pleased about the nature of the discussions that we have had with the Foreign Minister".
"We are very much happy with the brotherly feeling which was shown to us, and the way the discussions were going on," the chairman said.
Ethiopia is acting as a facilitator in the reconciliation of the Somali factional groups, based on the mandate reportedly given by the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), a six- member regional group in East Africa.
The Somali delegation invited by the Ethiopian government will among others, consider an earlier proposal made by the Somali transitional national government to enter into consultation with any Somali group for reconciliation in Somalia.
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