Somali Islamists Demand Withdrawal of Ethiopian Troops

Somalia’s Islamist opposition grouping Monday told a UN Security council delegation that it would only continue with talks with the country’s interim government if a timetable for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops was created. Interim Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed however said the UN must deploy a peacekeeping mission before the Ethiopian troops, who have been backing his fragile administration, leave the country. [P.E]