Former Mogadishu mayor blames Somalia for the collapse of Somalia-Somaliland talks

Former Mogadishu mayor, Mohamud Ahmed Tarsan has blamed  the current Somali government for the collapse of the Turkish-sponsored talks between Somalia’s central government and the breakaway Somaliland

He noted that it could have been better if the people were given chance to take part in Somalia-Somaliland talks.

” People should be give chance to discuss their future, this government failed to reach tangible agreement with Somaliland,” said tarsan.

Somaliland which had declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 has been seeking an international recognition; however, no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.

International community several times tried to open talks between the Federal Somali government which insists Somaliland to be part of the Horn of Africa nation and leaders from northern breakaway region.

Turkey which is a close ally of Somalia has hosted latest two conferences which brought together both sides  but talks broke down.

The last one which took place in March last year collapsed after Somaliland delegates refused to sit with the delegation from Mogadishu, saying that some of the federal government delegation actually hailed from territory claimed by Somaliland in the north-western region.