Ethiopian PM signals shift over Somalia - Financial Times - August 27, 2008

Ethiopia would be prepared to withdraw its troops from Somalia even if the interim government they were sent in to install 20 months ago were still not stable or functioning, the country's prime minister has said.

Meles Zenawi told the Financial Times (click here for the interview transcript) that Ethiopia was "not joined at the hip" with the Somali government as frustration in Addis Ababa grows over its perennial in-fighting and the financial cost of the occupation. His comments mark a policy shift because Ethiopia had previously indicated it would stay in Somalia until the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was firmly established and in control. Read More.