Military

DATE=3/12/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=KENYA / SOMALIA PEACE (L-UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-314065

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=NAIROBI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// EDS: UPDATES CR 2-314058, NEW INFO THRUOUT ///

INTRO: Kenya says the formal launch of a new government for Somalia has been delayed because Somali leaders continue to bicker over how to implement the agreement. The announcement came at the end of a meeting of East African foreign ministers in Nairobi on Friday. V-O-A's Michael Drudge has more from the Kenyan capital.

TEXT: Kenya says the transitional Somali government will not formally come into existence on Saturday, as had been previously announced.

Instead, a seven-nation committee of East African foreign ministers is giving Somalia's political and clan leaders another week or 10 days to come up with a plan on how to implement the government charter they signed in January.

Kenyan Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka says the ceremony planned for Nairobi was canceled because many Somali clan leaders had decided not to attend.

Mr. Musyoka says he is not upset that the event fell through, but he says it is time for Somalis to take the lead in restoring a government after 13 years of civil war.

/// MUSYOKA ACT ///

We are not disappointed at all, because this is a collective decision, and more importantly, we are strengthening ownership of this process. It is not really with us, it's with the Somali people. And so, we have to make sure we carry every faction leader every step of the way.

/// END ACT ///

The meeting of the foreign ministers, all members of the Inter-Government Authority for Development, opened on a pessimistic note.

The executive director of the group, Attalla Hamad Bashir of Sudan, said the slow progress toward peace in Somalia jeopardizes much-needed international aid donations.

/// BASHIR ACT ///

This process cannot go on forever. We have to come out with something that can make a difference. I have noticed donor fatigue. The support we used to receive from the donors last year was completely different from what we are noticing this year.

/// END ACT ///

With little progress to show from their Nairobi meeting, the foreign ministers plan to discuss Somalia again when they get together in Djibouti on March 22nd. (SIGNED)

NEB/MWD/AWP/TW