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In this issue:
PERSONALITY CHANGES IN THE UN AND US SOMALIA MISSIONS
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               S O M A L I A  N E W S  U P D A T E  

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Vol 2, No 7            February 16, 1993.             ISSN 1103-1999  

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Somalia News Update is published irregularly via electronic mail and 
fax. Questions can be directed to antbh@strix.udac.uu.se or to fax 
number +46-18-151160. All material is free to quote as long as the 
source is stated. 
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PERSONALITY CHANGES IN THE UN AND US SOMALIA MISSIONS

(SNU, Uppsala, Feb 16) Following last week's announcement that US 
special envoy for Somalia, Ambassador Robert Oakley, is to resign 
the UN system now vibrates with rumours about the successor of their 
special envoy, Ismet Kittani. 
    Robert Oakley who served as the American ambassor to Somalia in 
1983-84, resigned from the Foreign service last October only to be 
called back in late November to go to Somalia. He is to be replace 
by another Somalia old-timer from State Department's seventh floor, 
Robert Gosende. Gosende comes from US Information Agency and is a 
fluent Somali speaker. He has also served in Somalia in during the 
80's. 
    The word is that Ismet Kittani, whose sickness has gone on for
months, has cancer, and that other names are being considered for 
his replacement. One name mentioned is Michael Priestley, former 
Secretary-General's Special Representative to Ethiopia. Priestley is 
now in retirement but is known to have an interest in the Horn and 
might well be interested. Another person mentioned is Philip 
Johnston from CARE.
   Ismet Kittani was appointed by the Secretary-General as a 
replacement for Ambassador Sahnoun who resigned from the Somali post 
following shady intrigues in the UN headquarters. Ambassador 
Sahnoun, who has now returned to his previous position in the 
Algerian UN mission, would seem to be another hot candidate for the 
jobb at least if Somalis would be allowed to express their opinion.

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Posted by Bernhard Helander in Uppsala, Sweden.