Eritrean president “reassured” by Bush’s re-election

ASMARA, Nov 4 (AFP) — Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki said on Thursday that he was “reassured” by the re-election of US President George W. Bush.

“We are reassured by your re-election, as it will add more vigour to the war against international terrorism,” Isaias said in a congratulatory message to Bush, whose contents were published Thursday by Eritrean information ministry.

He added that he hoped the US government would “use its influence” to implement the border demarcation between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Ethiopia rejected in September 2003 the “final and binding” demarcation decided by an independent commission and since then, the situation has remained strained between the two countries, which fought a border war in 1998-2000.

Eritrea, like Ethiopia, was one of the few African countries to support the US invasion of Iraq to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.

But relations between Asmara and Washington are sometimes lukewarm, as in September when the US State Department published a report accusing Eritrea of not respecting religious freedom, charges that were firmly rejected by Asmara.