Friday, February 02, 2007

People's Daily Online -- U.S. considers diplomatic presence in Somalia

People's Daily Online -- U.S. considers diplomatic presence in Somalia .S. considers diplomatic presence in Somalia The United States said on Thursday that it is considering reestablishing diplomatic presence in Somalia after a break of 16 years. "We're going to take a look, obviously, at what is appropriate, in terms of security, in terms of political presence, in terms of diplomatic presence in Somalia," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing. "There aren't any final decisions in that regard. It's something that's being actively examined right now," McCormack said. McCormack said the U.S. embassy in Kenya is now in charge of U. S. mission in Somalia. The United Sates withdrew its diplomats from Somalia in 1991 following the anarchy after Somalia's strongman Mohammed Siad Barre was toppled. The United States has voiced support for Ethiopia's recent military intervention in Somalia that led to the ouster of the Islamic Courts and the control of Mogadishu by Somalia's interim government. Source: Xinhua