ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Ethiopia’s prime minister warned yesterday of the danger posed by a “very active Al Qaeda cell” in Somalia’s capital and said a stable government is the best way to eliminate the terrorist threat in the chaotic Horn of Africa country.

The prime minister, Meles Zenawi, in an interview with the Associated Press days ahead of an election in which he is seeking a third consecutive term, said his government supported the Somali transitional government formed in neighboring Kenya last year and would do everything possible to help it take power and eliminate the terrorist threat.

“Wherever there is distress, wherever there is acute poverty, social dislocation, the potential for a terrorist state exists,” Meles said. “We have a very active terrorist cell in Mogadishu, which has been involved in terrorist activities in Kenya.”

Kenya has been hit twice in recent years by major terrorist attacks that killed hundreds. In 1998, the American Embassy was destroyed by a car bomb, and another exploded outside a tourist hotel on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast in 2002.

Despite reports that the masterminds of both attacks – which were claimed byAl Qaeda – fled to Somalia, most Somalis reject the charge that their country is a base for terrorists.

Somalia has been ruled by clan-based warlords since 1991, when the dictatorship of Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown and the warlords turned on each other, creating anarchy.

The role of Meles’s government in supporting certain groups of warlords in Somalia has been a point of contention between the two countries, but he said he wanted to contribute toward creating stability.

“We have offered to help,” Meles said, adding that he would not send troops into the eastern neighbor. “Should the process collapse – we very much hope it doesn’t, but if it does – we plan to protect ourselves, but not sort out the mess in Somalia.”

Meles, who is seeking re-election on Sunday, said he was proud that 14 years after his rebel movement took power from a military junta, members of that regime can run for office in the most open elections in Ethiopia’s history.

“I think this is a clear sign that the [ruling party] is bending backward to accommodate the opposition, even if the historical background of these individuals is something that many members of the [ruling party] have themselves been victims of the lawless regime,” Meles said.

He said he also was impressed with massive rallies held in the capital on Saturday by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front and on Sunday by the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy.

“To host two huge demonstrations, one after the other over two days – such very heated demonstrations – to be carried out in a completely peaceful manner without any incident; that has been a very important jewel in the crown of democracy in Ethiopia,” he said.

International observers have recorded scattered incidents of poll-related violence and intimidation by ruling party supporters but say it has not been systematic. The State Department and Human Rights Watch have been critical of the government for its record in some areas where opposition to the government has been strongest.

Meles has been a key architect in redefining the relationship between the world’s wealthiest and poorest countries. He said the G8 group of the world’s wealthiest nations should heed a report on how best to help Africa when it meets in June.

“I very much hope action will be taken after the G8 summit because so far it has largely been promises and there is a very large dose of skepticism in Africa as to whether the G8 will be serious about helping Africa,”Meles said. “I hope this skepticism will be dispelled at the end of the summit.”