Somaliland has said it has no plans to discuss unity with Somalia, apparently at odds with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has said he will be a "mediator of unity" between the two governments.
"Any dialogue between Somaliland-Somalia will not discuss unity but how the two formerly united states can move forward separately," the region said in a statement.
Somaliland, which has remained largely peaceful for more than three decades while its neighbour has experienced civil war, said it had "no intention of dialogue to discuss unity with Somalia".
The Somaliland government declared autonomy away from Somali authority in 1991, but has not received widespread international recognition of its independence.
Autonomy
Some tribal leaders in disputed areas bordering Somaliland with the semi-autonomous state of Puntland in Somalia have said they prefer to be part of Puntland rather than Somaliland.
Heavy fighting broke out between Somaliland forces and militia members in and around the town of Las Anoud in one of those areas in February.
Earlier, Museveni said in a presidential statement a day after meeting Jama Musa Jama, special envoy for Somaliland, that "Somalia and Somaliland must get rid of identity politics if they want their country to prosper."
For his part, the deputy press secretary told Museveni that the presidential palace has no comment on the Somaliland statement, and Somalia's information and interior ministers did not respond to requests for comment, although Somalia has always considered Somaliland to be part of it and wants unity.