From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sat Feb 20 2010 - 17:28:23 EST
TALK TO AL JAZEERA President Isaias Afwerki
Saturday, February 20, 2010
VIdeo:
<http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/talktojazeera/2010/02/2010219210593
38201.html>
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/talktojazeera/2010/02/20102192105933
8201.html
Video Nkid- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtSrDqK2nt8
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtSrDqK2nt8&feature=player_embedded#>
&feature=player_embedded#
Twenty years after the liberation from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Africa's youngest
nation, has emerged as strategically vital to the stability of the region
and the wider global agenda.
Eritrea is struggling to balance the needs of its people with the perceived
threats to the nation.
Al Jazeera's Jane Dutton conducts a rare interview with Isaisas Afwerki, the
president of Eritrea.
Al Jazeera confronted him with the allegations about Eritrea's ties with
Iran, Hamas, al Shabab in Somalia and rebel groups in Sudan and Houthis in
Yemen.
"This is a deliberate distortion of facts, where is the evidence, these are
fabrications, where is your evidence?", he said.
"How possibly could one blame Eritrea for sympathising or supporting one
group over another in Somalia we have never done that." he said.
When asked about Eritrea's relation with Ethiopia today and the border
dispute he said: "This border issue war was a senseless conflict instigated
by the US.
"It is a cover up for the failures of the misguided policies of the United
States in the horn of Africa for the last 20 years.
"It is not a problem with Ethiopia we have worked with these people for
almost two decades to remove a government in Ethiopia, and we want to see a
relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia based on mutual respect and common
interest," he said.
"There is no presence for Iran in this region, Eritrea is not for sale, not
for Iran, Israel, the United States or anybody," he said.
Talk to Al Jazeera can be seen from Saturday, February 20 at the following
times GMT: 1130, 2230; Sunday: 0130 and 1900.
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