Eritrea denies being a hub for weapons headed to Darfur rebels

February 20, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Eritrean government described as lies a Russian report alleging that a Ukrainian company is moving weapons destined to Darfur rebels through its territory.

The Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei reported that according to the data that appeared in Kiev, Ukrainian company Ukrspetsexport supplied artillery systems and small arms with assistance of intermediaries through Eritrea.

“This irresponsible and poisonous report is part and parcel of the endless campaign of lies and deceptions being perpetrated by some quarters, designed to tarnish the image of Eritrea and furthermore, a futile attempt to sow seeds of discord to the warm and brotherly relations between Eritrea and Sudan” according to a statement carried by the Eritrean Ministry of Information’s website.

“Eritrea’s territory has never been used as transit to supply arms to anyone group in the Sudan or any other place in the region. Eritrea enjoys exemplary warm relations with the government and people of Sudan”.

Eritrea in the past has been hosting several Darfur rebel groups and helped in 2007 integrate five of them into the United Front for Liberation and Development (UFLD) and called on others to join. The country has taken a keen interest in playing a lead role in resolving the seven year conflict in Sudan’s Western region.

Any flow of arms into Darfur is banned by UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1556 and 1591 adopted in 2004 and 2005 respectively which prohibited the sale or supply of arms and military equipment to all warring parties in the region.

A UN panel of experts revealed last year that an increasing portion of ammunition and military-adapted vehicles used by all parties to the conflict was produced within the past two to three years — after the arms embargo was imposed.

Amnesty International has accused China and Russia of breaching the embargo by letting weapons into Sudan which are often diverted to be used in conflict in Darfur and neighboring Chad.

The statement by Asmara said that “despite the dissemination of lies and deceits by forces with subterraneous motives and who aspire to benefit from instability and chaos in our region, Eritrea firmly reiterates that it will relentlessly strive for peace and stability in the Sudan and the region at large”.

The UNSC has imposed sanctions on Eritrea late last year accusing it of supplying Islamist rebels with money and weapons in their fight to topple the fragile U.N.-backed transitional government in Somalia, a virtually lawless Horn of Africa nation.

(ST)