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DATE=10/23/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ETHIOPIA/SOMALIA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255400
BYLINE=JENNIFER WIENS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The leaders of three rival Somali factions 
have paid an unusual visit to Addis Ababa to meet with 
Ethiopian officials.  As Jennifer Wiens reports from 
V-O-A's East Africa bureau in Nairobi, Ethiopia is 
trying to stop Somalia's involvement in the conflict 
between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
TEXT: Somali faction leaders Hussein Aidid, Hassan 
Osman Ali and Omar Hajji Massala are rivals in the 
ongoing struggle for control of Somalia and its 
capital, Mogadishu.  But on Friday, the three rivals 
sat down together for talks with Ethiopian officials.
The Ethiopian government requested the meeting and 
invited the Somali leaders to the capital, Addis 
Ababa, for talks with Ethiopian Foreign Minister 
Seyoum Mesfin.
One reason for the meeting is the mandate given to 
Ethiopia by the Organization of African Unity to try 
to bring peace to Somalia, which has been torn apart 
by clan and militia fighting since its central 
government collapsed in 1991.  
Ethiopia is also concerned about growing Somali 
involvement in the 19-month old border war between 
Ethiopia and Eritrea.  Ethiopia says Eritrea gives 
Hussein Aidid's faction arms and military training.  
In return, it says, terrorist groups use parts of 
Somalia controlled by Mr. Aidid as a base to launch 
attacks into southern Ethiopia.
One such group is the Al-Itihad Al-Islam, which is 
allied with Aidid and fights to unite eastern 
Ethiopia's Ogaden region with Somalia and establish an 
Islamic state.
Eritrea says it has no military presence in Somalia, 
and in turn accuses Ethiopia of backing Aidid's 
rivals. 
Official sources in Ethiopia say the Somali delegates 
and Foreign Minister Mesfin discussed these issues 
during Friday's meeting. The foreign minister 
reportedly told the three Somali leaders they must 
stop supporting forces opposed to Ethiopia, which have 
been trained by Eritrea and operate from Somalia.
There was no indication if a final agreement was 
reached between the Somali delegation and the 
Ethiopians.  (SIGNED)
NEB/JW/ALW/LTD/JO
23-Oct-1999 11:39 AM EDT (23-Oct-1999 1539 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.