UN General Assembly
2006

Somalia. It is noteworthy to bear in mind that the warlords and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) had initially combined their forces and political rhetoric as an opposition alliance group against the Transitional Federal Government. Both groups were encouraged by the reluctance of the international community to come quickly to the aid of the new Somali Government and by the continuation of the United Nations arms embargo against Somalia. However, the ICU soon realized that the warlords were losing popularity among mainstream Somalis. At this juncture, the Transitional Federal Government, though sceptical, responded positively to the initiative undertaken by the League of Arab States to convene peace talks and settle the differences between the parties. The first and second rounds of those peace talks have successfully taken place in Khartoum, and both sides have agreed on general principles and some preliminary issues for the next round of talks scheduled to be held in Khartoum in October 2006. However, as the Islamic Courts Union continued to rush to consolidate their grip, their concealed intentions are fast becoming evident to the Somali