In response to questions raised by the Members the Federal Parliament here on Thursday, Meles said the Ethiopian army would work on first to send AU Members countries' peacekeeping missions home safely from Somalia after being told the respective countries that they would pull out their army from that country.

Meles said the Ethiopian government has been extending the necessary support for the establishment of strong government in Somalia by various peace loving forces by routing out their differences thereby fight terrorism since the last two years. He said there is no any improvement so far in this regard.

However, Ethiopia has managed to foil fully a terrorist attack plan masterminded by the Eritrean government which mobilized terrorist forces by taking advantage of the situation.

Meles indicated that though IGAD has forwarded a recommendation regarding Somalia, there was no any cooperation among pertinent authorities of the IGAD to put it into practice.

Prime Minister said activities have been made so far to restore peace in Somalia and alienate terrorists from the people, but to no avail.

He went to say that the escalating situation of piracy by Somalia gunmen around Indian Ocean is the other concern that attracted the attention of the international community. .The situation of piracy is not only the issue of the Horn of Africa, but also is the concern of the world as a whole.

Meles said efforts have been made through the African Union in general and IGAD in particular to take into consideration the serious situation in Somalia. Leaders of the Member Countries of IGAD have also discussed the situation in Somalia at various times and occasions during the meeting of the United Nations.

He said IGAD has passed recommendations that should be implemented in two weeks time to address the problem in Somalia during its meeting in Nairobi, Kenya recently. The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, which accepted the recommendation at the time, has announced later it objects it that led to its failure.

Therefore, Prime Minister Meles said, his government has been contributing its share to restore peace and Somalia during the last two years while it is on the process of pulling out its army from that country now.

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