SOMALIA - Sept. 15 - President Ready To Meet World Leaders.

In an interview with BBC, Pres. Abdulkassim Salat Hassan says he is ready to hold talks with all those opposed to his appointment. He says that when he returns to Somalia he wants to have face-to-face talks with opponents, including militia leaders and the leaders of the northern regions of Somaliland and Puntland. Hassan says: "If there are any problems we will solve them through dialogue".He also says he planned to appoint a cabinet, which would include women. (Hassan was elected at the end of August by a transitional parliament meeting in exile in Djibouti. The new parliament and president have the support of the business community and Islamic courts within the country.) When asked why he wanted to be president in such circumstances, Hassan says he had been educated and trained by the Somali state and felt he had to repay the debt he owed to his country.He says he was aware of the responsibility on his shoulders, but that with the help of Somalis he was optimistic for the future.