Djibouti declines fact-finding mission

Two members of the Somali peace talks' technical committee left Nairobi for Somalia on a fact-finding mission on Wednesday, but the third member - Djibouti - refused to go, stating there had not been enough preparation.

A Djibouti statement, made available to IRIN in Nairobi, expressed regret over the "haste" with which the mission had been put together. But Djibouti government officials stressed this was a small setback and the Somali peace process was still on track.

The regional grouping, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), is brokering a Somali reconciliation conference, which was due to have been held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi this month. The Kenyan government has been tasked with arranging the conference and a technical committee, made up of Somalia's three neighbouring countries - Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti - has been set up to prepare for the talks.

The Djibouti government expressed support for Kenya's "sincere commitment" to the peace process, but said lack of preparations for the current mission was the main reason for its decision not to take part in the visit.

"The preparatory phase constitutes a crucial stage in which details cannot be overlooked and which must be managed with the utmost rigour," the statement said.

"The Nairobi conference has raised huge expectations among the Somali people and has unreserved support from the entire international community," the statement added. "For this reason it is imperative to take all the necessary measures and include all efforts at dialogue among the various actors, in order to respond to these hopes and to guarantee the best chance of success for the conference."

Analysts note it is highly unlikely that the conference will take place this month.