Somaliland ‘confident’ of independence recognition

LONDON — In 1991, the northern Somalia breakaway region declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia; however despite its long campaigns for recognition no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.

Somaliland’s foreign minster Saad Ali Shire says that the region expects an international recognition and has a permanent representative at the United Nations.

“Of course, we have been looking for recognition for a long time and to some extent we have already some recognitions because we are a country with an army, currency, government and parliament.” He told BBC’s Somali Service Wednesday.

He declined to give more details about his claims on a possible recognition for the enclave.

Mr. Shire’s remarks come as the regions held rounds of talks with Somalia which wants to convince it to drop its secessionist goal, an approach Somaliland has dismissed.

The talks have collapsed in March after the two sides accused each other of holding a firm ground which complicated mediations by the Turkish government which encouraged the two sides to make concessions.

 Hiiraan