MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Russia is ready to mediate the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and provide a platform for negotiations on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov.
"If both sides are interested, we are ready to provide a platform for organizing contacts between their representatives in order to find compromise solutions, including on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa summit in Moscow [October 28-29]. We hope that Ethiopia and Eritrea will take advantage of this opportunity," he told Izvestia .
Alimov noted that the escalation between Ethiopia and Eritrea is worrying Moscow. He described these countries as long-standing and reliable partners of Russia. According to the diplomat, Russia called on both countries to exercise restraint, build confidence, and overcome differences.
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have deteriorated sharply in recent months. Addis Ababa accuses Asmara of supporting the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel movement, including in conjunction with Sudan and Egypt. All three countries deny these accusations. In early October, Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara, after which Eritrea severed diplomatic relations with its neighbor.
