Joint committees from the Somali transitional government and the opposition coalition Monday met in Djibouti for the first time and formally signed an 11-point communiqué "to help start effective implementation" of the peace agreement, reports from Djibouti said.
In the communiqué received in Mogadishu on Tuesday, the two committees, who met in Djibouti from August 16-18, said they adopted "Terms of Reference for both Committees" and discussed practical means of implementing the Djibouti peace agreement initiated on June 9, which called for a cessation of hostilities effective 30 days from signing of the agreement and the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia within 120 days after a UN force is implemented.
The Somali transitional government and the opposition, The Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia, agreed to "continue the political dialogue between themselves, refrain from making inflammatory statements" and " reaffirmed their commitment to cease all armed confrontation and to establish sub committees to implement the arrangements to that end."
The two parties welcomed all efforts undertaken by Somali nationals, including through supportive meetings inside and outside Somalia, as well as those of the international community to help implement the Djibouti Agreement.
They have called on the United Nations Security Council "to accelerate the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to facilitate the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somalia."
Clashes between fighters of Somali insurgents and Ethiopian troops backing Somali government forces have continued unabated since both sides signed a ceasefire agreement in Djibouti.
The transitional government and the opposition jointly condemned "the perpetrators as well as those who mastermind and fund violence which targets innocent people including killings, indiscriminate shelling, looting, raping, and acts of piracy".
The two parties say they are very concerned by the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in the country and the continued suffering of their compatriots.
The parties agree on the critical need to address this situation in all its dimensions -- political, security and access.
They call on the international community to urgently provide humanitarian assistance to the needy people of Somalia. In this connection, the Parties reaffirmed their strong determination to help ensure unhindered humanitarian access and assistance.
The parties also reassure the Somali population that they are determined to strengthen their commitment for peace, stability, unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and dignity in Somalia.
(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2008)
