Ethiopian parliament authorizes "all necessary" steps against Somalia's UIC

Ethiopia's parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution authorizing Prime Minister Meles Zenawi-led government to take "all necessary" steps against the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in neighboring Somalia.

"Parliament hereby authorizes the government to take all necessary and legal steps to stave off a declaration of holy war and invasion by the Union of Islamic Courts against the country," said the resolution.

"The parliament believes there is a clear and present danger to our country," it said. However, it stressed parliament would prefer dialogue and peace.

The resolution also accused the UIC of "training, sheltering and arming Ethiopian groups that are trying to overthrow the government."

The resolution was adopted by a 311 to 99 vote with 16 abstentions.

Meles told foreign journalists on Saturday that his country would not wait for foreign approval to attack the UIC in Somalia.

"We respect their views but because it is our country which is being attacked, naturally we do not seek any light -- green, red, amber -- from anyone to protect ourselves," he said.

The UIC has seized Somalia's capital of Mogadishu controlled most of southern and central Somalia.

Somalia has been without a functioning central authority since the 1991 ousting of strongman Mohamed Siad Barre and the two-year- old transitional government has been unable to assert control.

Source: Xinhua