UN's Annan welcomes election of new Somali president

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday hailed the election of a new president in lawless Somalia, which has been without a fully functioning central government for more than a decade.
"The secretary general welcomes the election yesterday of Mr Abdullahi Yusuf as the transitional president of Somalia by the transitional federal parliament," Annan's spokesman said in a statement.
"He considers this as another important step toward the re-establishment of peace and stability in Somalia and he looks forward to the formation in the near future, of a transitional federal government capable of beginning reconciliation and reconstruction in a spirit of consensus and dialogue," the statement said.
"He urges all Somalis to be part of the effort to restore peace and security in their country," it said.
The west African country has lacked a widely recognised president and central government since the fall of dictator Mohammed Siad Barre in 1991.
Numerous armed factions centred around the country's clans have since battled for control of different fiefdoms.