Government, Opposition Plan Talks to Finalize Somali Peace Agreement

Meetings between Somalia's traditional government and opposition groups are to begin this week to discuss details of a peace agreement worked out in June. In a statement Wednesday, the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) said the security and political committees will meet in Djibouti Saturday, August 16 to begin three days of talks. The office says the decision on timing was made after consultations with the government and the opposition alliance.Both the Somali government and the opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia will send delegates to the meetings. The U.N. says Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, welcomed the development and invited members of the international community to show their support for the Somali peace process by attending. more http://voanews.com/english/2008-08-13-voa56.cfm