UN denies Somali request
2005-07-15 08:45
United Nations - The United Nations Security Council on Thursday rejected the president of Somalia's appeal for the world body to ease an arms embargo to allow the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force in the East African nation.
"The Security Council reminds all parties in Somalia, including all members of the (transitional federal institutions), as well as all Member States, of their obligation to implement and enforce the arms embargo imposed by the Security Council under resolution 733," said Greek Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, who holds the council presidency for July.
"Continued non-compliance with this measure undermines the efforts of those who seek to establish peace in Somalia," he said. "There can be no effective and lasting progress in Somalia as long as arms and ammunition flow unchecked across Somalia's borders."
Transitional Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed said his government's efforts to restore stability in the country would be badly hampered if a 13-year-old, complete ban on weapons transfers remained in place.
But in a bid to ease fierce opposition to the move from the United States and scepticism about its wisdom from UN chief Kofi Annan, Yusuf stressed that he was not asking for a complete lifting of the embargo.
"We urge prompt modification of the arms embargo provisions to allow our national security force and the (regional) peacekeeping forces to sufficiently stabilise conditions in Somalia as we return to govern from our homeland," Yusuf said in a statement released in Somalia.
The African Union in January authorised the seven-nation East African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development to deploy peacekeepers to Somalia to help Yusuf's government get a foothold in the country.