THE AFRICAN UNION WELCOMED SATURDAY THE END OF HOSTILITIES IN MOGADISHU AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF HOSTILITIES, DPA REPORTED. THE FIGHTING HAD INFLICTED SERIOUS DAMAGE AND HAD CLAIMED THE LIVES OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS INCLUDING CHILDREN, WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY. "THE FIGHTING WAS IGNITED BY SELF-SEEKING SPOILERS WHOSE ACTIONS WERE INIMICAL TO THE LARGER AND BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA," THE HEAD OF THE AU COMMISSION, ALPHA OUMAR KONARE, SAID IN A STATEMENT. THE PREVAILING PEACE IN MOGADISHU WAS "UNIQUE" IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY, CREATING "A CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO THE PROMOTION OF STABILITY THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF PEACE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE COUNTRY," THE STATEMENT ADDED. THE TRANSITIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA HAD CALLED FOR INTER-SOMALI DIALOGUE TO ELIMINATE THE CAUSES OF INSTABILITY IN THE COUNTRY AND PROMOTE THE WIDER INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE, HE SAID. SENTIMENTS WERE SIMILAR IN MOGADISHU, WHICH THE AU WELCOMED AND SUPPORTED.
