Ethiopian PM, visiting US congressman discuss border row with Eritrea

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 11, 2004 (ENA) — Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said preparations are in the pipeline for free and fair conduct of the upcoming national and regional elections.

Meles made the announcement during talks with the member of the international affairs committee of the US congress, Donald Payne, here on Saturday.

Meles said the government of Ethiopia has already extended invitations to the European Union, a number of countries in other continents and international organizations to send their delegates to observe the process of the upcoming third national and regional elections.

The government, in its part, has been putting in place enabling conditions to see to it that the upcoming elections are conducted in a democratic manner, he told Payne.

Prime Minister Meles told the US congressman that Ethiopia, out of its firm commitments for peace, has put forward the five-point peace proposal to resolve the dispute with Eritrea.

Ethiopia demands support from the US government and the international community for the implementation of the peace proposal, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who attended the meeting quoted Meles as saying.

After talks with Meles, Congressman Payne told journalists that discussions between the two parties focused on Ethiopia’s economic conditions, the upcoming elections as well as on the peace proposal the country put forward to resolve the dispute with Eritrea.

Payne said his government, in line with its policy, would provide support for the conduct of democratic election. Payne said he received briefing from Prime Minister Meles Zenawi about Ethiopia’s five-point proposal put forward to resolve the dispute with Eritrea.