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From: Er-News (er_news@dehai.org)
Date: Fri Aug 26 2011 - 12:02:48 EDT
Ethiopias Deplorable Conduct at IGAD Meeting
In what is almost a familiar pattern now, Ethiopian security agents
manhandling Eritreas delegate to IGAD's 40th Extra-ordinary Session
of the Council of Ministers which was convened in the Ethiopian
capital, Addis Abeba, this Wednesday 24th August. Eritrea's envoy was
harassed, verbally abused, and threatened by Ethiopia's security
officials in breach of his diplomatic immunity. And finally, he was
physically blocked and denied entry into the conference hall at the
start of the session.
In an obvious attempt to downplay and dilute the embarrassment to the
organization, some officials in IGAD later scrambled to provide
flimsy justification to Ethiopia's behavior mixing Eritrea's case
with the accession of South Sudan to the organization as a new member
State. Apparently for this purpose, the final IGAD communique also
alludes to appropriate rules and procedures, including considerations
of the Summit that will have to be observed prior to Eritreas
resumption of its membership in IGAD.
These are unrelated and tenuous arguments at variance with the IGAD
Charter. Eritrea's resumption of its membership cannot be vetoed by
Ethiopia and is not covered by provisions in the Charter that pertain
to accession and new membership. Eritrea has duly notified IGAD of
its decision to resume its membership, effective that date, through a
letter of its Foreign Minister on July 25 last month. The provisions
of the IGAD Charter do not envisage additional procedures or
processes, and creative impediments to this straightforward case.
In the event, Ethiopia's conduct, as a host of the Ministerial
session, was and remains deplorable and it behooves on the other
member States to rectify the situation.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara
26 August 2011
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