International Contact Group on Somalia meet, German FM comments

Описание: (3 Jan 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior shot office building where meeting is taking place
2. Close-up of sign: (German) "Federal Republic of Germany"
3. Car arriving, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier getting out
4. SOUNDBITE: (German) Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister:
"Over the past two weeks of the last year the situation in Somalia has escalated. In Somalia itself it has been unstable, with a potential escalation to the neighbouring region. This is why I suggested that European countries from the international contact group get together and try to find a common position."
5. Cutaway of cameramen
6. Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store arriving
7. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt getting out of car
8. Wide shot of meeting venue
9. Close-up of Steinmeier talking to EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Louis Michel, and with other delegate
10. Wide shot of Steinmeier and Michel in meeting room
11. Wide shot press conference
12. SOUNDBITE: (German) Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister:
"There are three tasks which are important. First, bringing about a lasting end to violence.The Ethiopian government has announced the withdrawal of its troops, (has announced) that the troops will withdraw. It is important that after that there should not be a security vacuum in Somalia. Secondly, it's important that there will be an improvement in the precarious humanitarian situation, in particular for the large number of internal refugees. Thirdly, and perhaps this is the most important thing, there has to be a return to the urgently needed political peace and reconciliation process."
13. Cutaway of press conference
14. Wide shot of press conference
15. SOUNDBITE: (German) Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister:
"We see that we need to stabilise the humanitarian situation and the (European) Commission will make its usual preparations. The (International) Somalia Contact group will also meet on Friday and discuss the question on whether there will be an international military presence in Somalia. The security council of the African Union has decided that after that meeting it too will discuss this issue. And if there were to be an international presence then it would preferably be of African origin."
16. Wide shot of press conference
STORYLINE:
The European Union and Norway on Wednesday called on Somalia's interim government and Islamic militants to hold talks to forge a lasting peace plan that could be backed by African-led peacekeepers.
"There has to be a return to the urgently needed political peace and reconciliation process," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters after chairing talks among European members of an international contact group for Somalia.
Steinmeier said the meeting, which included ministers from Britain, Sweden, Norway and Italy, concluded that a renewed political dialogue among fighting factions in Somalia was the only way out of the current crisis, adding that the recent offensive by Somali government forces, backed by Ethiopian troops, offered a new chance for peace.
Steinmeier said the situation remains "serious," adding that Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, had sent diplomats to Kenya and Ethiopia to gauge interest for a peacekeeping mission and to discuss restarting peace talks among Somali factions.
He added that all members of the US-formed International Contact Group for Somalia would meet in Nairobi on Friday.
"If there were to be an international presence then it would preferably be of African origin," he said.

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