UN Special Representative Briefs Security Council

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New York, 16 August - The Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today briefed the UN Security Council on recent developments inside the country and on international support for peace and reconciliation.

Ambassador Fall urged all member states to respect and abide by the UN arms embargo. He also appealed to all countries, especially in the region, to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Somalia. He urged all parties not to take any provocative measures that might lead to a deterioration in the situation and encouraged all sides to resume the dialogue at Khartoum.

Speaking with media after the briefing, Ambassador Fall noted that the second round of the Khartoum dialogue proposed for this month between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, had been postponed. "My office has spoken with Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Islamic Courts this morning regarding the latest delay," he said. "Sheikh Sharif advised my Deputy this morning that although the Courts remained in favour of dialogue with the TFIs, this would not be possible while Ethiopian troops remained in the country."

For more information please contact: UN Political Office for Somalia(Nairobi, Kenya) Tel. +254 20 762 21 31 Please visit: www.UN-Somalia.org