U.S. to Hold International Meeting on Somalia

The Bush administration will convene an international meeting next week on political developments in Somalia, following an abrupt shift in policy this week after Islamists seized control of the Somali capital from U.S.-backed, warlord-led militias.

The formation of a "Somalia Contact Group" was announced yesterday by the State Department, which had long expressed concern inside the administration that a policy largely restricted to counter-terrorism priorities might prove counterproductive. On Wednesday, the administration indicated that it was open to discussions with the Islamists as long as they were prepared to seek a peaceful resolution and pledged not to allow Somalia to become an al-Qaeda haven.
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A United Nations spokesman said yesterday that Washington had provided few details on the initiative but that the proposed timing coincides with the return from Somalia of Francois Lonseny Fall, the U.N. representative who met with different factions this week. Representatives from the European Union -- which also expressed interest this week in talks with the Islamists -- are expected to attend. The U.S. delegation is to be headed by the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Jendayi E. Frazer.

A rethinking of U.S. policy was provoked by fast-moving events over the last several weeks in the chaotic country on the Horn of Africa.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901713.html