US commends Somaliland on polls

The United States has welcomed the recent legislative elections in the self-declared republic of Somaliland as an example to the rest of Somalia, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Monday.

"We congratulate the people of Somaliland on holding peaceful elections with significant voter turnout," McCormack said in a statement. "The United States calls on all political parties to work together peacefully during the post-election period to strengthen the democratic transition in Somaliland and serve as an example for greater Somalia."

"The United States welcomes the September 29 parliamentary elections in Somaliland, which represent a step towards democracy in Somalia," the statement added.

Somaliland voters went to the polls on 29 September to elect 82 members of the region's parliament.

The polls are the breakaway republic's third since it declared unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in May 1991, following the collapse of the administration of former President Siyad Barre.

Somaliland conducted municipal elections in December 2002, which were followed by a presidential poll in April 2003 in which the incumbent, Dahir Riyale Kahin, retained the seat.

In 2001, Somaliland held a referendum in which a majority of the population backed its self-declared independence.

Somaliland has managed to avoid much of the anarchy that has dogged Somalia over the past 15 years. However, the territory is embroiled in a border dispute with the northeastern semi-autonomous state of Puntland over the regions of Sanaag and Sool.