From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Wed Jan 06 2010 - 19:09:42 EST
Eritrean envoy faults US terror watch list
By Ngozi Sams
January 7, 2010 12:56AMT
Eritrea's Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Ali Omaro has condemned the
recent decision of the United States of America government to place
Nigeria and other 13 countries on its terror 'watch list'.
Mr. Omaro, who described the US decision as unfair, said it appears the
Americans did not do proper consultation before arriving at that
decision.
"It is very unfair.We have to call a spade a spade, not a bigger spoon.
What is happening? Who decided it and what is the reason for that
decision? Now,
the latest news is that America included 14 countries in a list; not to
prevent them from visiting America, but to be liable to hard checks.
This is what we call double standard. Are all these countries hosting
al-Qaeda? Hosting terrorists? It is the way of American administration's
thinking and that is the way they are. We hope they will change." Mr.
Omaro who, Wednesday, briefed journalists in Abuja on Eritrea's reaction
to the recent sanctions imposed on the country by the United Nations'
Security Council, said the United States of America has not always been
fair in its dealings with African countries.
"The double standard policy of the US in the world at large, and in the
Horn of Africa in particular, is the main cause of conflicts,
instability and human sufferings," he alleged, while also claiming that
the US secretly masterminded the sanction placed on Eriteria by the
global organisation.
Unhappy with the US He added, "The UN security council's accusation
against Eritrea of refusing to solve its border dispute with Djibouti is
also a travesty. Eritrea has not occupied an inch of Djiboutian
territory and does not have any claim over any Djibouti territory. It is
in fact a fabricated crisis aimed at diverting Eritrea from its legal
battle to reclaim its occupied territory by Ethiopia.
The whole issue is fabricated by the USA to cover its unlawful and
unjustifiable full support for Ethiopia that is still occupying Eritrean
Sovereign territories despite the final and binding verdict by the
Eritrean-Ethiopian Boundary Commission, EEBC." The EEBC was established
by the UN in accordance with the Algiers agreement to delimit and
demarcate the disputed border between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
On December 23, 2009, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on
Eritrea over what it said was the country's role in Somalia and its
refusal to withdraw troops following dispute with Djibouti. The
sanctions include arms embargo, travel restrictions and freezing of
assets.
The Ambassador condemned USA's accusation of Eritrea's role in supplying
arms to Somali opposition as preposterous, in light of large naval and
air force presence in the Red Sea and the naval forces roaming the
Indian Ocean, adjacent to Somalia.
"How could Eritrea evade all these military bases and sophisticated
surveillance system to deliver arms to Somali armed groups?" he asked.
Efforts by NEXT to reach US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders proved
abortive as she was said to be attending a meeting and cannot respond on
the matter at the time.
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5508081-147/st
ory.csp
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