asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the decisions taken on Somalia at the African Union summit in Banjul, Gambia.[HL6720]
The Banjul African Union (AU) summit issued a declaration in support of the transitional federal Government and called for the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Somalia to allow a peace support operation to deploy. We welcome AU support for the transitional federal Government. It will be for the UN Security Council to judge whether and when the conditions are right to lift the arms embargo.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How the international Somali contact group adds value to the efforts already being made by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the United Nations towards peace and stability in Somalia; how they will seek to ensure that common objectives are pursued in these fora; and whether they will promote agreement among all concerned states on the development and territorial integrity of Somaliland.[HL6721]
We welcome the formation of the international contact group on Somalia. It provides a forum to co-ordinate international efforts to help to restore peace, security and good governance to Somalia and to deliver clear and coherent messages to the Somali parties. We want to see a stable and successful Somaliland. The contact group has not yet had a substantive discussion of the situation there, however.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s peace support mission to Somalia, in view of the opposition by the Somali Supreme Islamic Courts Council.[HL6722]
We welcome the efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to promote peace and security in Somalia. Any IGAD peace support operation would require a peace to keep and the strategic consent of the key Somali parties.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have received on whether the Somali Supreme Islamic Courts Council has agreed that the transitional federal charter forms the basis for its further discussion with the leaders of the transitional federal institutions in Khartoum on 15 July.[HL6723]
At a meeting in Khartoum on22 June, the representatives of the transitional federal institutions and the Islamic Courts Union agreed to recognise each other, to a ceasefire and to pursue further talks on 15 July. The Islamic Courts Union’s position on the transitional charter remains unclear.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
In deciding to treat the Somali transitional federal institutions as the lawful Government of Somalia, how they apply the principle of General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV) (Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations) that a sovereign state must be possessed of a government representing the whole people belonging to the territory, considering that the Somali transitional federal institutions exercise jurisdiction only over a small area in and around Baidoa.[HL6724]
The transitional federal institutions are the only internationally recognised entity in Somalia. The transitional charter envisages that they will give way to an elected government after five years. We continue to work with our international partners to support the transitional federal institutions in establishing an inclusive and representative government.