SOMALIA: Historic Meeting of Somali Federal MPs
The BBC News Reports:Â Â
Somalia’s parliament has met inside the country for the first time since it was formed in Kenya more than a year ago. The meeting was held in a food warehouse in the central town of Baidoa, far from the dangers of the capital Mogadishu. It is the latest attempt to restore authority in the country after 15 years of factional fighting. Some 205 of the 275 MPs were present at the meeting. Powerful Mogadishu warlords did not attend. Politicians are split over whether the Mogadishu is safe enough to host the interim government, and whether to keep foreign peacekeepers. Sitting the first meeting in Baidoa was seen as a compromise between the two factions. Â