Mogadishu-based
faction leader Hussein Mohamed Aideed arrived in Djibouti
on Friday for the Somali National Peace Conference, which
is being held at Arta, 30 km from the Djibouti capital, sources
at the conference told IRIN.
He arrived
from Yemen at midday with his advisers.
Aideed
had initially rejected the peace process on the basis that
it would create further conflict.
Faction
leaders have had an open invitation to join a process attempting
to be all-inclusive, but many had insisted on special status.
Aideed's
arrival was likely to be a catalyst for other faction leaders
to join the process, sources at the conference told IRIN.
The talks
were still in deadlock on Friday over the issue of electing
the Transitional National Council, with Puntland delegates
insisting on more seats on a regional basis and other representatives
wanting the allocation of seats according to clan.
Representatives
were hopeful the conference could be reconvened on Saturday
and a new national charter approved, according to IRIN's sources.
With
the present deadlock involving crucial political decisions
regarding "who's in and who's out", the talks were unlikely
to conclude before the end of the month, they added.
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