Yes to talks but not in Garowe, Deni tells Farmaajo

GOOBJOOG NEWS|GAROWE: Puntland has poured cold water on outgoing president Mohamed Farmaajo’s proposal to resume electoral talks in Garowe noting it won’t host them.

A statement from the Puntland presidency noted that while it welcomed the resumption of the talks, the meeting should be held in Mogadishu and not Garowe as suggested by Farmaajo.

“The mandate of the FGS ended on 8th Feb; therefore, the Govt of Puntland suggests that the consultative meeting should be held in Mogadishu with the participation of FMS, political stakeholders and international partners,” the statement read in part.

No extension, EU tells Farmaajo, UNSC to up the ante

Villa Somalia released a statement Tuesday night calling for the resumption of talks on February 15 in Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland. Puntland and Jubbaland have mounted the fiercest resistance against Farmaajo and the differences between the two sides resulted in the collapse of the fifth round of talks in Dhusamareb last week.

Farmaajo’s announcement of new talks came amid heightened international pressure. The UN Security Council urged Tuesday night the immediate resumption of talks.

In a statement approved unanimously, the 15-nation Security Council asked Somalis to “resume their dialogue urgently and work together, in the interests of the people of Somalia.”The statement encouraged leaders to “reach consensus on the arrangements for the conduct of inclusive elections with a view to holding them as soon as possible,” the AFP reported