Eritrea defends snub
2006-01-23 21:23
Asmara - Eritrea has defended its decision to snub a senior US diplomat who sought to visit its tense border with Ethiopia last week in a bid to avert a new war between the arch-rival Horn of Africa neighbours.
In an editorial posted to the information ministry's website, Asmara heaped scorn on the proposed trip by US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Jendayi Frazer.
It said there was no reason for her "diplomatic sojourn" as the main bone of contention between Eritrea and Ethiopia was well known.
Eritrea has long warned that a resumption in the bloody two-year conflict is looming because of Ethiopia's refusal to accept a three-year-old border demarcation both nations had agreed to respect as part of the 2000 peace deal that ended the conflict.
"It is well known by now that the Eritrea-Ethiopia issue involves no debatable matter," the information ministry said.
The statement, posted at the weekend, did not mention Frazer by name, but was a clear rebuke to Washington which had announced her trip to the region with great fanfare earlier this month before being forced to cancel her stop in Eritrea when authorities in Asmara refused to "facilitate" her visit.
Instead, Frazer travelled to Ethiopia where she went to the border on Thursday before meeting Prime Minister Meles Zenawi the next day and going on to Khartoum to attend a summit of African Union leaders on Monday.