From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Oct 16 2008 - 10:00:06 EDT
Ethiopian PM does not rule out Somalia pullout
October 15, 2008
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Thursday did
not rule out pulling his troops from Somalia but warned his country would
not hesitate to come back to crush hardline Islamists.
"We have had several negotiations with all stakeholders and we will review
our position in the coming months," he told parliament.
"If the Somali political scenario improves and its stakeholders assure us of
their commitment, we will remain to help them out. Otherwise we will leave
as no other option will be available," Meles said.
Ethiopia, the United States' main regional ally, invaded Somalia in 2006 to
oust the Islamic Courts Union, which had taken control of most of the
country, and bolster an embattled Western-backed transitional government.
The Islamists were quickly defeated by Ethiopia's superior military machine
but the movement's armed wing, Al-Shebab, soon split from the largely exiled
political leadership and engaged in a bruising guerrilla war.
The rivalry between Muslim Somalia and the conservative Christian
regime in Addis
Ababa is deeply entrenched and many in Somalia see the departure of
Ethiopian troops as a precondition to peace negotiations.
However Meles warned that, even after a withdrawal, he would send his army
back into Somalia should the Shebab threaten to take power.
"Whenever there's a threat posed, we will come back to break their backs."
he said. "Any government is preferable to the Shebab. It's in the interest
of Ethiopia and the Somali people to prevent them from coming to power."
"The coming few months will indicate where we'll be heading regarding
Somalia," Meles added.
There is no official number for Ethiopia's troop presence in Somalia but
their contingent is believed to have been scaled down recently and currently
limited to around 5,000 in Mogadishu and several thousands more confined to
a few strategic areas elsewhere in the country.
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