Somali interim president visits Ethiopia

Prime Minister Meles has held talks with Somaliland's President Egal

By Nita Bhalla in Addis Ababa

The new president of Somalia arrived in Addis Ababa last night for his first visit to Ethiopia since he was elected almost three months ago at the Arta reconciliation conference in Djibouti.

Although not formally recognised by Ethiopia, President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan and three of his ministers were invited for talks by the Ethiopian authorities.

This comes a week after President Mohammed Egal, of the breakaway republic of Somaliland, was also in Ethiopia.

Having successfully completed discussions with President Mohammed Ibrahim Egal, of the self-declared state of Somaliland last week, the arrival for the Somalia's interim President Hassan, is seen as Ethiopia's attempt to mediate between the two sides.

Off the fence

Ethiopia has been relatively silent since August, when Mr Hassan was elected at the Arta conference, sitting on the fence and adopting a 'wait and see' policy.

Officials in Addis Ababa have been closely monitoring events unfolding in Mogadishu and have been observing how the new president handles his position and his country.

President Hassan: Ethiopia does not officially recognise his authority

Although Ethiopian officials have been coy to express their attitudes towards President Hassan, he has been accused from some quarters of being an Islamic fundamentalist, and of supporting rebel movements like Al-Ittihad, an Islamic guerrilla movement operating in the south of Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa, however, insists that they will do whatever they can to stop the faction fighting, and help create a unified Somalia.

Yemane Kidane, chief of the cabinet at the ministry of foreign affairs, told me he was concerned about the situation in a neighbouring country.

"We need peace there, not only for the security and stability of Ethiopia, but for the whole region," he said.

Protocol controversy

But Ethiopia has still not formally recognised the new government, and signs of this were obvious from the moment the new Somali president stepped off the aeroplane.

The Ethiopian minister of mines and energy received the president at the airport last night when many believe it should have been the Ethiopian president or prime minister.

Sources also said that during presidential visits, national flags of the visiting country are normally suspended all over the capital, but not one of the blue and white Somali flags could be seen in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

Sources in the government have however denied this, saying President Hassan was given a proper welcome.

These talks are the first official talks between the two parties and, if successful, could lead to a major shift in Ethiopia's foreign policy towards Somalia.