December 30, 2010
Congressman urges Secretary Clinton to have ‘constructive dialogue’ with Eritrea
Congressman Adam Smith of Washington State called upon the United State Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to have ‘constructive dialogue with Eritrea and respond to the concerns of Americans of Eritrean descent.
“Our foreign policy should prioritize engagement with other nations, rather than isolation,” the Democratic congressman said. “It is in our interests to engage in constructive dialogue to address areas of concern and foster Eritrea as a strong, strategic ally in the Horn of Africa to confront instability, terrorism and conflict in the broader region.”
“While progress has been made in recent years with regard to the issuance of visas for government officials and both countries have acknowledged the need to improve the relationship, more can and should be done,” he said and noted that such problems “may be a prime opportunity to improve diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Eritrea.”
Congressman Smith also urged the Secretary of State “to respond to the concerns of the Eritrean-American communities and reach out to them in order to foster greater engagement with Eritrea.”
Organization of Eritrean Americans (OEA)
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