DATE=9/2/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - SOMALIA (L-O)
NUMBER=2-253396
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The head of the United Nations' political
office for Somalia, David Stephen, says an
international consensus is developing to help the
conflict-shattered country rebuild. Correspondent
Barbara Schoetzau reports from New York.
TEXT: Mr. Stephen says the international community's
concern that Somalia has deteriorated into a state of
anarchy without a recognized government or any of the
basic functions of a state is shared to a large extent
by many people living in Somalia.
A United Nations report on Somalia, released in mid-
August, said the absence of law and order in Somalia
is attracting criminals and bandits. And U-N officials
are also concerned that factions in the conflict in
Eritrea are arming different sides inside Somalia.
Mr. Stephen says he met Wednesday with interested
Security Council member nations and representatives of
regional groups such as the League of Arab States and
the Organization of African Unity. There is widespread
agreement, the U-N official says, that more should be
done to help Somalia. The question, Mr. Stephen says,
is how.
/// FIRST STEPHEN ACT ///
There have been 12 failed initiatives since 1991
in Somalia, sponsored by the United Nations and
by different countries in the region. One of the
criticisms made is that all of these were the
top-down approach. In other words, leaders were
taken often to a neighboring capital - to
Nairobi, Djibouti or Addis Ababa - to negotiate.
But then when they came to an agreement, it fell
apart when they got home. So there has been a
lot of discussion about how a future process
should be structured. Most countries and most
actors are agreed that a future process should
be much more closely tied to the Somali society
itself and not separated from it.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Stephen says there has been a lively debate over
approaches to the problem Somalia presents. It is a
basically homogenous country with few ethnic or
religious disputes. But it is divided on clan lines.
/// REST OPT ///
Djibouti has proposed establishing an interim council
to serve as a temporary government to organize
elections and restore a government structure. David
Stephen says compromises will have to be made to
restore a national government to Somalia.
/// SECOND STEPHEN ACT ////
I think the building block approach -- which is
on the whole favored by Ethiopia -- whereby you
deal with the regions apiece and then the
leaders of those regions come together
eventually, will have to be somehow merged with
the top-down approach, which is more or less the
position espoused by Egypt which puts greater
emphasis on the need for a strong central
government. I don't think that is an insuperable
problem.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Stephen says the willingness of the international
community to help Somalia will encourage peaceful
negotiations by showing the people of Somalia that
political dialog brings rewards. (Signed)
NEB/NYC/BJS/LSF/ENE/gm
02-Sep-1999 17:00 PM EDT (02-Sep-1999 2100 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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