Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said that Ethiopia is prepared to withdraw troops from Somalia even if the interim government is not stable.

Ethiopia invaded its neighbor in 2006 to oust an Islamist militia and re-install the transitional government.

He told the UK's Financial Times paper that financial pressures had to be taken into account and said the commitment was not open ended.

The withdrawal of Ethiopians is a key demand of the Islamist insurgents.

Somalia has experienced almost constant civil conflict since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in January 1991.