Ethiopia-Somalia to hold new talks on Monday - mediators

ISTANBUL - Horn of Africa rivals Somalia and Ethiopia will start a new series of talks in Ankara on Monday aiming to ease tensions between them, Turkey's foreign ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that talks scheduled to start on 2 September had been brought forward.

The talks aim to find a way to give Ethiopia access to international waters through Somalia without upsetting its territorial sovereignty.

Since Eritrea's secession in 1991, Ethiopia has been the most populous country in the world without direct access to the sea.

Foreign ministers from the neighbours held a first meeting in Ankara on 1 July with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan acting as mediator.

Fidan went to Ethiopia on 3 August to meet its leaders. The ministry said there have since been contacts with Somalia "at the highest level".

It was not immediately known who would take part in Monday's talks on what the Turkish ministry called "the needs, worries and approaches of the two countries".

Ethiopia made an accord in January with Somaliland, that has unilaterally broken away from Somalia. Ethiopia gained access to the sea but recognised the territory's independence, setting off a new crisis with its neighbour.

The two countries, which have fought two wars in the past century, agreed in March to find a solution to their quarrel.

But "indirect negotiations" since have not produced a result, the Turkish ministry said, acknowledging "increasing tensions in the region". Turkey said it had secured support from countries in the region for its mediation efforts.