UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged on Thursday Somalia's transitional government to seek dialogue with other groups in the country.

The secretary-general "believes a new opportunity may exist for the Transitional Federal Government to establish its full authority in the country," said a statement issued by UN spokesperson Michele Montas.

"He urges the transitional authorities to reach out to other groups in the country, with the aim of fostering dialogue and engaging in an all-inclusive political process that can lead to stability, peace and reconciliation, as envisaged in the Transitional Federal Charter," it said.

Ban also "welcomes the stated intention of Ethiopia to withdraw its forces expeditiously, and calls on all states in the region to respect Somalia sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity," the statement said.

The UN chief hailed the announcements by some African countries to deploy peacekeepers, expressing the hope that the troops can be put in place as soon as possible.

Source: Xinhua