The army chiefs of landlocked Ethiopia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland have been discussing military co-operation as concern grows over a deal that could give Ethiopia a naval base on the Gulf of Aden.<\/p>\n
The two sides signed a deal on 1 January to give Ethiopia commercial and military access to the sea.<\/p>\n
Somalia called it an act of aggression.<\/p>\n
It considers Somaliland as part of its territory and has vowed to defend its sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, seceded from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as an independent state.<\/p>\n
Ethiopia’s Field Marshal Birhanu Jula spoke with Somaliland’s Maj Gen Nuh Ismael Tani about “possible ways to work together” at a meeting on Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s military said in a statement.<\/p>\n
No further details were given.<\/p>\n
Somaliland agreed to lease part of the coast to Ethiopia for a naval base in the 1 January Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that they signed, according to statements from both sides.<\/p>\n
Somaliland has said that in exchange Ethiopia would agree to recognise it as independent at some point in the future.<\/p>\n
Ethiopia has not confirmed this and instead talked about making “an in-depth assessment towards taking a position regarding the efforts of Somaliland to gain recognition”.<\/p>\n
Somalia sees the MoU as an assault on its territorial integrity. On Sunday, its President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud asked people to prepare for the defence of the country.<\/p>\n
The African Union and the US have both moved to try and calm tensions.<\/p>\n
Somalia’s allies, including Egypt and Turkey, have pledged their support for Somalia.<\/p>\n
As the military men from Ethiopia and Somaliland were meeting in Addis Ababa, Mr Mohamud was in Eritrea holding talks with his counterpart in Asmara, Isaias Afwerki.<\/p>\n
Official statements made no direct mention of Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland, but it is likely that the issue came up.<\/p>\n
Eritrea said the two leaders agreed to work together “with patience and constructive spirit while refraining from a re-active posture to various provocative agendas”.<\/p>\n
On Monday, President Mohamud’s office said the two leaders would “discuss issues of mutual benefit”.<\/p>\n