Eritrea source of instability in region – Ethiopian, Sudanese FM
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 1, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — Ethiopian minister of Foreign Affairs Seyoum Mesfin held talks yesterday with his Sudanese counterpart, Mustafa Osman, on various bilateral and development issues, the Ethiopian Television said Friday.
Seyoum said the talks between the two sides focused on bilateral, diplomatic relations between the two nations and issues on Africa. He also briefed his Sudanese counterpart on current situation in Ethiopia. Adding, he said national election was important event in the history of the country.
He further said that two sides have exchanged views on the remarkable peace agreement between the Sudanese government and SPLA and its implementation. He said the two ministers also discussed various regional issues and described Eritrea as a source of instability in the region.
The Ethiopian minister told reporters “the challenges we face from our neighbour Eritrea have still Eritrea and the government of Eritrea remains to be a factor of instability in our region. And we are calling on the international community and particularly the Eritrean people to see, to reason to tame their government and to join us in rather building peace and stability and development in the region rather than to remain as a factor of instability in the region”.
He indicated that the meeting of a joint commission of the two countries will be also held next month.
The Sudanese foreign minister, Mustafa Osman, said on his part that the 9th of July 2005 will be a very significant event in Sudan as the transitional constitution of the Sudan will be signed with the presence of John Garang, the leader of SPLA.
Mustafa said “on the 9th of July it is going to be a very important event in the Sudan. We invited our neighbours to participate in that event. I handle an invitation from President Bashir to Prime Minister Zenawi. Ethiopia is a very important neighbour.”
He said the Sudan invited all neighbouring countries except Eritrea to attend the signing ceremony. He said Eritrean government instil provocative and destabilising the region.