Somalia- No talks unless Ethiopia walks

The Islamic Courts announce their peace talk terms:

Islamic courts controlling the Somali capital will not take part in talks with the government unless Ethiopian troops leave Somalia, an official says.
Earlier, Somalia's interim government agreed unconditionally to hold peace talks with the Islamists.

Talks to try and avert conflict between the two sides broke down last week.

The Union of Islamic Courts has vowed to expel Ethiopian troops who are deployed in Baidoa to assist the weak transitional Somali government.

"There is a condition for talks: as long as the enemy is in our country it will be impossible to sit down together and hold talks (with the transitional government)," Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, Chairman of the Islamic courts' consultative council told the BBC Somali service.

"We want the Ethiopian government, which has invaded Somalia and threatened Somalia, to leave our country, so that we can hold talks."