NAIROBI - Kenya has recalled its
ambassador to Somalia after the Mogadishu government's decision
to auction oil and gas exploration blocks at the centre of a
maritime territorial dispute in the Indian Ocean, the foreign
ministry said.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is
considering a claim on their maritime boundaries brought by
Somalia in 2014 after negotiations over the 100,000 sq. km
stretch of sea floor broke down.
Kenya said on Saturday it had summoned its ambassador, Lucas
Tumbo, and asked his Somalia counterpart Mohammed Muhamud Nur to
return to Mogadishu for consultation with his government.
"The summons is a consequence of a most regretful and
egregious decision by the government of Somalia to auction off
oil and gas blocks in Kenya's maritime territorial area," the
foreign ministry said.
Somalia, which held the auction in London on Feb. 7, did not
respond immediately to the new developments.
Kenya said it had raised concerns with the Somali government
a day before the auction after it noticed blocks in what it
considers to be its maritime territory were included in the
auction.
"This unparalleled affront and illegal grab at the resources
of Kenya will not go unanswered and is tantamount to an act of
aggression against the people of Kenya and their resources," it
said in a statement, adding it was ready to defend its
territorial integrity "at any cost".
The two states have been co-operating in the long fight
against the al Qaeda-linked, al Shabaab militants in Somalia.
Kenya said the row over maritime territory could jeopardise
that.