From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Dec 30 2009 - 06:42:15 EST
Eritrean Official Denies Sponsoring Insurgents to Destabilize Neighbors
Eritrea’s information minister has described as an unfortunate publicity
stunt accusations that President Isaias Afeworki’s government is arming
insurgents to destabilize both Ethiopia and Sudan ahead of their scheduled
elections in 2010
Peter Clottey | Washington, DC 30 December 2009
Eritrea's information minister denies Asmara is sponsoring Insurgents to
destabilize Neighbors.
Eritrea’s information minister has described as an unfortunate publicity
stunt accusations that President Isaias Afeworki’s government is arming
insurgents to destabilize both Ethiopia and Sudan ahead of their scheduled
elections in 2010.
Ali Abdu said the countries are exploiting the recent United Nations arms
embargo imposed on Eritrea.
“This is simply a political prostitution and it’s meant to exploit the
recent UN resolution, and this click is a comic click of liars. I mean they
don’t even blink when they lie. I think your government, meaning the United
States molded this spoiled child in Ethiopia by offering political subsidy.
As far as we are concerned to be frank with you, we never take into account
these comic liars’ statement as serious,” he said.
Security officials from Ethiopia and Sudan are currently holding a security
conference in the northern Ethiopian town of Mekelle.
At the conference, Getachew Aseffa, Ethiopia’s security services chief
reportedly accused neighboring Eritrea of arming terrorists along the
Ethiopian-Sudan border to disrupt elections in both countries scheduled for
2010.
Abdu denied the accusations, saying Asamara is against terrorism.
“We fought terrorism long time before it became fashionable and it became a
cliché in 9 /11 (September 11 2001). We fought it back when we were
struggling for our independence in the late 1980’s. Why are these
statements? Because we chose to be free and independent we didn’t allow
ourselves to be servants like the regime in Ethiopia. So, this is the price
that we are paying because we are free…we said no to neo-colonialism,” Abdu
said.
The United Nations Security Council last week imposed an arms embargo on
Eritrea and vowed to slap financial and travel restrictions on its leaders
for allegedly arming hard line Somali Islamic insurgents.
The embargo reportedly followed months of international frustration over
Eritrea's alleged role in arming al-Shabab, an Islamic insurgent group that
is fighting to overthrow Somalia's transitional government.
But Abdu said Washington is behind the UN imposed arms embargo.
“In the first place it is not the United Nations…it is the United States.
United Nations is simply being instrumental in this thing. As far as the
resolution is concerned again it’s a disguise for other hidden agenda,” Abdu
said.
He said Asamara will continue its “constructive engagement” in stabilizing
the Horn of Africa region despite the UN arms embargo.
http://media.voanews.com/images/150*141/66-AFP_Eritrea_president_Afeworki_0.
jpgEritrean President Isaias Afeworki
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