From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sat Jul 04 2009 - 18:13:35 EDT
INTERVIEW-U.S. will urge Ethiopia to stay out of Somalia
04 Jul 2009 18:06:33 GMT
* Djibouti to help African peacekeeping force AMISOM
*Washington undecided on tougher force mandate
By David Clarke
NAIROBI, July 4 (Reuters) - The United States will encourage Ethiopia
not to return to Somalia as it would be against the interests of both
Horn of African nations, Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs Johnnie Carson said on Saturday.
Ethiopia invaded Somalia in late 2006 to topple an Islamist movement in
the capital Mogadishu. The intervention sparked an Islamist insurgency
which is still raging despite the fact Ethiopian troops pulled out in
January.
"The Ethiopian government continues to look very closely at developments
in Somalia," Carson told Reuters in Kenya ahead of a visit to Ethiopia
on Monday.
"Given the long-standing enmity between Somalis and Ethiopians I will
encourage the Ethiopians not to re-engage in Somalia. It is not their
interest to so and their efforts might in fact prove counterproductive
to the government," he said in an interview.
Neighbours and Western governments fear that if the Somali
administration is overthrown, the lawless nation will become a safe
haven for al Qaeda to train militants to destabilise the region and
attack developed nations.
Residents in several regions of Somalia have reported seeing Ethiopian
soldiers in the past two months. Addis Ababa initially denied this but
later acknowledged it had made "reconnaissance" missions. It still
insists no combat troops are in Somalia.
"Ethiopia has a right to defend its borders, should do so vigorously if
individuals cross into their territory, and their efforts should be
directed at defence of their territory and not necessarily involvement
inside of Somalia," Carson said.
NO DECISION ON TOUGHER MANDATE
Carson held talks with senior officials from all Horn of Africa
countries, including the Eritrean foreign minister, during an African
Union summit in Libya this week.
Washington has accused Eritrea of supporting the hardline al Shabaab
insurgents who are fighting to oust Somali President Sheikh Sharif
Ahmed. It says Eritrea has aided the movement of weapons and foreign
fighters into Somalia.
Carson said Eritrea strongly denied the accusations.
The rebels, who have links to al Qaeda and want to impose their own
harsh version of sharia law throughout the country, control much of
southern Somalia and parts of the capital Mogadishu close to the
president's palace.
A 4,300-strong African Union peacekeeping force (AMISOM) from Uganda and
Burundi is protecting key sites in Mogadishu but appeals for more troops
and a stronger mandate allowing them to go on the offensive have yet to
bear fruit.
Carson said a battalion of soldiers from Burundi, about 800 troops, was
ready to deploy as soon as an airlift is provided and that Djibouti had
pledged to help with military force.
"They are a small country with a small military but they have indicated
that they believe the situation is serious enough to warrant their
support," Carson told Reuters.
"They believe that it is important to support Sheikh Sharif and to
prevent his government from falling and they are prepared to provide
more support than they have in the past, including manpower," he said.
Carson said Washington had yet to decide whether the AMISOM mandate
should be beefed up. There had been hopes African leaders would agree to
this in Libya but wording to that effect in a draft resolution was
dropped.
"We will study it closely in Washington and make a determination as to
whether it is in our interests to encourage an expanded mandate as this
goes forward," he said.
Washington helps fund the AMISOM force and has sent weapons to the
Somali government to support its fight against the rebels. Carson told
reporters it would send more.
"The United States will continue to look for ways to provide support,"
he said. "This will include military support in terms of arms and
munitions and material resources, but not manpower."
(Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L4512822.htm
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