Ethiopian PM says withdrawal from Somalia should be responsible
October 16, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Ethiopian Prime Minister told the legislators here that the withdrawal of the army from Somalia should be decided in the coming months but the national interest and the deployment of African troops should be taken in consideration.
The time for Ethiopian forces to pullout from Somalia is approaching fast but the troops will still remain until Africa fully deploys strong peace force that could replace it, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told parliament on Thursday.
“The time has come to take a final decision on the issue, in particular when our troops entered Somalia, those of us who felt our intervention was based on national security interests, then our withdrawal should also be responsible.”
However he made it clear that his government is working on strategies to fully withdraw from Somalia in the next few months.
“But with political leaders in Somali lucking readiness for peace, it will be unfair to abandon the AU and international community, which have taken the firm position our troops should stay at least until the African peace force is fully deployed,” he added
Meles also criticised the international community’s failure to respond adequately to the violence and lawlessness that has enveloped Somalia for the past 17 years.
Some 3,000 peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi are in the capital Mogadishu as part of a planned 8,000 strong AU mission.
Speaking about Eritrea Prime Minster Meles said that, though Ethiopia has opened its doors for peace talks but Eritrea has returned deaf ears.
“Eritrea didn’t show any different progress to that of a stand it had last year to return to peace talks”
(ST)