Ethiopia urges EU to stop destructive campaign

Nov 27, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia has urged the European Union to stop destructive campaign carried by some MPs blaming them of interfering in the internal affairs of the country .

The anti-Ethiopia campaign, which is launched by some members of European Parliament following the 3rd National Elections, has violated the Cotonou Agreement, Speaker of the Ethiopian parliament said.

Ambassador Teshome Toga made the remark while addressing the 6th Conference of the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Countries as well as the 12th Joint Conference of the Parliaments of the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific and the European Union held in Barbados, the Caribbean, the state-run ENA reported.

The speaker said the interference of delegation of EU, which came to Ethiopia to observe the 3rd National Elections, in the internal affairs of the nation has been the root cause of the disagreement.

Teshome underscored that political differences should be addressed through constructive discussions as per the Cotonou Agreement.

The destructive movement of some of the members of the European parliament against Ethiopia should be stopped immediately since it destabilizes the unity and sovereignty of the nation.

The government of Ethiopia is willing to continue holding discussions with EU since the union is one of the forefront development partners of Ethiopia.

Western donors were concerned about the political situation in Ethiopia amid government violence against opposition groups since contested 15 May elections, Toga said.

In December 2005, European Commission decided to freeze 375 million dollars (317 million euros) in aid to Addis Ababa because of a government clampdown on opposition.

The violence in Addis Ababa and other cities came amid protests against alleged vote fraud in the May 15, 2005 elections, which were won by the government but denounced as rigged by the opposition.

Earlier in November, an Ethiopian parliamentary panel requested the government to explain its actions in clashes that erupted in June and November 2005, killing 193 civilians and six police officers and wounding 763.

The government has blamed the violence on the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), nearly the entire leadership of which is currently on trial for allegedly using the protests to foment a coup.

(ST)