By Goth Mohamed Goth
The proposed talks between the government of Somaliland and the federal government of Somalia which were due to resume today ,Thursday, February 26, 2015 in Istanbul ,Turkey have once again failed to take place as scheduled.
Somaliland Minster of Foreign Affairs Hon Mohamed Bihi Yunis speaking to the BBC Somali services confirmed the delay in the resumption of the talks at the same time announcing that the talks between the two nations shall resume on the 1st of March, 2015 although he stopped short of revealing the cause of the delay during the interview.
Reliable sources indicated that the delay in the resumption of the talks was due to unpreparedness on the part of the federal government of Somalia to engage in the latest round of talks.
Somaliland talk’s delegation has in the past week being conferring with members of the official opposition political organizations in order to seek guidance and advice on these sensitive negotiations with Somalia.
Although the current talks between the two entities may agree to establish in order to clarify their future relations they are faced by a deadlock which may arise from two conflicting imperatives
- Federal Government of Somalia and its negotiators cannot endorse the declaration and dissolution in 1991 in the pursuant of 2001 referendum which 97% reaffirmed in the onset declaration of 18 May1991.
- Somaliland and their negotiators cannot accept in any cost that Somaliland will be under what is called Federal Government of Somalia which is internationally propelled fragile system of statehood.
Opposition political organizations raised concern about the legitimacy, representation and objectives of the potential negotiating partners in Somalia.
