Somali leader lambasts Ethiopia

By Peter Biles
BBC correspondent in Maputo

The leader of the transitional government in Somalia has made a strong attack on his country's neighbour, Ethiopia.

Speaking at the African Union summit in Mozambique, President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan accused Ethiopia of destabilising Somalia.

African heads of state have made conflict resolution a top priority at this summit in Mozambique.

The president said Ethiopia was undermining Somali unity

While there has been plenty of discussion about the fighting in Liberia, President Abdulkassim has used the occasion to draw attention to Somalia's often fractious relations with Ethiopia.

He said his government in Mogadishu could have done far more in the three years of its existence had it not been for the daily interference of Ethiopia in Somalia's internal affairs.

The Somali president accused Ethiopia of continuing to violate the arms embargo on Somalia by supplying large quantities of weapons to warlords opposed to the transitional government.

He said Ethiopia's policy was to undermine the emergence of a strong, united Somalia.

Somalia has been without an internationally-recognised government for more than 12 years.

In a speech that has served to highlight the problems facing African leaders, President Abdulkassim said Somalia continued to suffer from the benign neglect of the international community and especially that of Africa.