Rulers Deny Claims of Quitting City Peace Meeting
NAIROBI, 19 MAY 2003 (NATION)--The Somali transitional national government (TNG) has not pulled out of the peace talks in Nairobi.

TNG Foreign Affairs minister Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim stressed his government's commitment to the talks and dismissed claims that it had pulled out as "baseless, unfortunate and unfounded".

The minister, who was speaking in Nairobi at the weekend, denied his team was involved in a parallel meeting in Mogadishu.

TNG has in the past threatened to boycott the talks to protest against what it terms Ethiopian invasion and occupation of the Somali territory.

In March, Mogadishu claimed Addis Ababa had encroached on Bulla Hawo, Luuq and Dolo towns in the Gedo region.MORE