US/Somalia

Clinton warns Eritrea against sponsoring insurgents

Article published on the 2009-08-06 Latest update 2009-08-11 15:40 TU

Clinton and Sharif in Nairobi 6 August 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday met Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. She hopes he will help stabilise a country after two decades of conflict. She offered the US's full support but also warned against making Somalia a safe haven for extremists.

At the joint news conference where Sharif shook hands with the US Secretary of State.

"Certainly if Al-Shebab were to obtain a haven in Somalia which could then attract Al-Qaeda and other terrorist actions, it would be a threat to the United States," Clinton said.

"There is no doubt that Al-Shebab wants to obtain control of Somalia to use it as a base from which to influence and even infiltrate surrounding countries and launch attacks on countries far and near."

Sheikh Sharif is often perceived as the moderate after he joined a UN-sponsored reconciliation process after he had been at the forefront of US resistance in against the 2006 military invasion of Somalia Ethiopia.

"Somalia needs to have relationships in order to lift the Somali people out of the difficult situation we've found ourselves in," said Sheikh Sharif.

Hillary Clinton's next stop  on her seven-nation tour of Africa is South Africa.