Foreign Ministry recognises ‘Puntland’ View(s):In the rescue operation of the Sri Lankan crew on board an oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now evidently recognises self-declared autonomous States. “This task,” the statement said, “would not have been made possible without their unstinted and active effort.” Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva also thanked “the President of Puntland” and his Chief of Staff. The problem is that Puntland is widely recognised as a self-declared autonomous State of 2.4 million people. Puntland declared itself autonomous in 1998, in the aftermath of the Somali civil war. It is known to have little international relations apart from development-based associations with countries such as Britain and Djibouti.

Source: Sunday Times March 18, 2017 19:41 UTC