Garowe, June 13, 2000

To: BBC Somali Section

Bush House, London, UK

Press Statement/Correction of the contents of Today’s BBC Interview

This is to correct the today’s BBC Somali Section Interview with a reporter in Djibouti erroneously stating that only three members of Puntland State delegation returned to Garowe yesterday.

The fact is that sixteen of the twenty five-member strong delegation from Puntland State to Arta had safely arrived Garowe at 10 am this morning on-board a Djibouti Airlines plane. These included the Vice President, Mohamed Abdi Hashi, twelve traditional elders and three members of the delegation’s secretariat.

The delegation returned home for consultation and briefing with the Government. The remaining behind members in Arta did so on the request of the Djibouti Head of State for confidence-building reasons to avoid negative impact on conference participants in Arta by the departure of Puntland State delegation.

PUNTLAND STATE OF SOMALIA will make a final decision on the fate of Arta Conference as the on-going consultations with the delegation are concluded in the next few days.

(Signed by)

Ismail H. Warsame

Chief of Cabinet/Office of the President.