BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS: QUESTION ON SOMALILAND

Lord Steel of Aikwood (Liberal Democrat) Link to this | Hansard source

My Lords, given the mayhem that has characterised Somalia for so long, is there not a case for reconsidering the whole question of recognising the Government in Somaliland, the former British protectorate, which at least is stable and orderly?

Lord Malloch-Brown (Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Labour) Link to this | Hansard source

My Lords, this is one of those perennial issues which, quite rightly, come up every time that Somalia lurches back into crisis. The noble Lord knows our position, which is that we try to give Somalilandsupport but we think that its status and potential independence must be dealt with through African forums: first, through talks between the two sides in Somalia and, subsequently, through the AU. We do not think that British recognition of Somaliland would help its goal of independence.