Ethiopia says Eritrea refuses peace proposal for fear of political problems

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 9, 2004 (Radio Ethiopia) — Information minister said the refusal of the Eritrean government to accept the new peace initiative put forward by the government of Ethiopia was based on its fear that its deep rooted political problem might get out of control.

The minister, Bereket Simon, said the five-point Ethiopia’s peace proposal absolutely comply with the Algiers Peace Agreement. In an interview with the Ethiopian TV yesterday, Bereket said the Eritrean government, which led Eritrea since the last 13 years was unable to contain the political and economic crises.

Eritrea is now in a state of great political, economic and social crises, he said, adding that besides Eritrea has multifaceted problems caused as a result of its conflict with neighbouring countries.

Eritrea’s war of aggression has an impact on both Eritrea and Ethiopia, but Ethiopia, unlike Eritrea, having embarked upon enhancement of democracy and development in the aftermath of the war between the two countries.

The minister said on the other side, Eritrea has become a country where people’s democratic rights are grossly violated while it has been rocked by serious economic crises. Bereket said as a result of this the difference between the Eritrean government and its people has been widening resulting in conflicts between them.

Bereket added, the Eritrean government is now preaching its people that his country has been surrounded by neighbouring enemy countries and is in state of annihilation with its ill motive of diverting the attention of its people from sinking into even deeper problems.

He said the refusal of the Eritrean government to accept Ethiopia’s new peace initiative claiming that it drags back to the Algiers Peace agreement is absolutely groundless and is not acceptable. Ethiopia’s five-point new peace proposal put forward to resolve the Ethiopia-Eritrea border conflict complies fully with the Algiers Peace Agreement.