US 'out of Somalia in 6 months'

NEW YORK (Reuter) - Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the UN Secretary-General, said that the transition in Somalia between US-led forces and the United Nations command could take up to six months. UN sources said Warren Christopher, the US Secretary of State, planned to visit the UN next Monday to discuss the withdrawal of US forces from Somalia and consider a UN request for US logistics units to stay behind under UN command.

''We are negotiating now with the (US-led) unified command,' Mr Boutros-Ghali said. 'First of all we will have to agree on the transition because the withdrawal of the unified command will happen on a step-by-step approach. And we will have to work together in a period of transition for four, five or six months.' But his officials said the UN could assume command from US troops by March; the six months would allow the withdrawal from Somalia of all US forces.