ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:
And as the fighting gets more intense in Somalia, there has been related diplomatic activity. In the past 24 hours, the United Nations Security Council has held an emergency meeting. The Arab League has held talks and today the African Union met at its headquarters in Addis Ababa.
NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton has that part of the story.
OFEIBEA QUIST: There have been mixed signals from the African Union about the crisis in Somalia, especially the military role of neighboring Ethiopia, which backed Somalia's transitional government. It enjoys UN recognition but has virtually no power against the Somali Islamic Court militias, which until now have controlled most of Somalia.
Yesterday as in Washington, the deputy chairman of the African Union Commission, Patrick Mazimhaka, appeared to endorse Ethiopia's justification of self defense for its military intervention in Somalia.
PATRICK MAZIMHAKA: We do not criticize Ethiopia because Ethiopia has given us ample warning that they are threatened by the Islamic Courts group.
QUIST: Today the African Union's tone hardened towards Ethiopia. The head of the AU Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, was unequivocal.
ALPHA OUMAR KONARE: (Through Translator) We are calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops today without delay. And we are appealing for urgent support for the transitional government of Somalia and the withdrawal of all foreign troops and foreign elements from Somalia.
QUIST: The African Union urged Somalia's rival factions to stop fighting and resume checkered peace talks sponsored by the Arab League. A separate Arab League meeting came to similar conclusions, hoping to persuade the combatants to return to the negotiating table.
Mediator Hesham Youssef.
HESHAM YOUSSEF: (Through Translator) All the Arab countries expressed their extreme concern and regret over the continuation of military confrontation in Somalia and the ensuing victimization and hopelessness of thousands of Somalis.
QUIST: Briefing the Security Council, the United Nations' Special Envoy to Somalia, Francois Fall, delivered this stark warning.
FRANCOIS FALL: Only if the political settlement is reached through negotiation, Somalia, I'm afraid, will face a period of (unintelligible) conflict and heightening instability which will be disastrous and could also have serious consequences for the entire region.
QUIST: The United States appeared to give the nod to Ethiopia's military presence in Somalia to defend the powerless interim government, as well as Ethiopia's own borders.
Washington has accused Somalia's Islamic Courts of links to al-Qaida. However, analysts are perhaps even more concerned that regional rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea may be playing out their own proxy war in Somalia by backing opposing factions.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Alejandro Wolff said Somalia's latest conflict had become an intricate crisis.
ALEJANDRO WOLFF: This is a much more complex situation than simply Ethiopia's presence in this war. Ethiopia has been threatened itself. There are other forces inside the country, Eritrea in particular. So to look at it simply as this is a problem caused by Ethiopia is very simplistic and incorrect. So it's a difficult, difficult situation whose resolution will have to pass through negotiation among the parties inside Somalia.
QUIST: But for now, all sides are talking tough.
Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Dakar. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
