There will be no peace without the warlords

The BBC's Ishbel Matheson

But two of the country's key warlords, Hussein Aideed and Hassan Mohamed Nur "Shatigudud" rejected the pact almost instantly, having boycotted the Kenya talks.

The agreement was signed in the town of Nakuru in the presence of Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi, who has been mediating the negotiations.

It calls for the formation of "an all-inclusive government ensuring equitable power-sharing amongst all Somali clans" and the disarmament of all factions, under the auspices of the United Nations.

The new administration is to be established in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in one month's time.

Widening

The accord was signed by Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah, of the Transitional National Government (TNG) and some members of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), including warlord Osman Ali "Atto" and the group's secretary-general Mowlid Maan.

Aideed rejects the peace deal

"We reject it completely," Mr Aideed told the French news agency, AFP.

The BBC's East Africa correspondent, Ishbel Matheson, says it is an ambitious deal and the absence of some key warlords means it is doubtful whether it will be fully implemented.

But our correspondent says the agreement with some opposition groups will come as a boost to the TNG.

The missing warlords were encouraged to join the peace process "with the objective of widening and deepening the process of national reconciliation".

The TNG was established last year at a conference of prominent Somalis, who elected Abdulkassim Salat Hassan the transitional president.

Terror fears

President Abdulkassim himself controls only pockets of Mogadishu.

Somalia was without a central government from 1991 until last year

Somalia disintegrated into clan warfare after Mohammed Siad Barre was ousted as leader in 1991.

After a decade of civil war the country is still struggling to form a government that has support across the whole country.

There has been speculation that Somalia might be the next target in the United States-led war against terror, amid suspicions that al-Qaeda members might have fled there from Afghanistan.