Source:
https://www.beaconreader.com/matthew-russell-lee/leaked-ethiopian-memo-snarks-on-unsc-members-positions-on-eritrea-sanctions
Leaked Ethiopian Memo Snarks on UNSC Members’ Positions on Eritrea Sanctions
MATTHEW RUSSELL LEE
OVERVIEW
A leaked memo from Ethiopia’s foreign ministry, as obtained by this
reporter, provides a run-down on UN Security Council members’ positions on
Eritrea sanctions, including dissing some members as not making any
“meaningful contribution,” while warning that another, Chile, cares about
international law too much. The memo contrasts Susan Rice and new successor
as US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, and urges Ethiopian diplomats
to “facilitate the resolution of the misunderstanding the [Sanctions] Group
has with Kenya and Somalia.” It’s the buzzy of the Horn of Africa.
UNITED NATIONS, June 27 — The buzz from the Horn of Africa is an Ethiopian
Minister of Foreign affairs memo about Eritrea, sanctions and the UN
Security Council. As obtained by this reporter, the memo by Ethiopian
Minister Berhane Gebrekiristos brags that “the P3 countries have been
supportive of sanctions against Eritrea… The former US Permanent
Representative to the UN, Ambassador Susan Rice, was instrumental in
adopting the sanctions. The current US Permanent Representative, Ambassador
Samantha Power, may not be as strong on Eritrea. But since Ambassador Susan
Rice is serving as the National Security Adviser of President Obama, she
will ensure the continuation of the US’s policy of sanctions Eritrea.”
The memo goes on, “France has supported the imposition of sanctions against
Eritrea, primarily due to the conflict with Djibouti.” It says “meetings
with the UK Permanent Representatives have confirmed that the UK will not
change its position.”
Non-permanent members are also reviewed: “the Eritrean president has
participated in the independence day of Chad in 2011 but we don’t believe
Chad will be supportive of Eritrea’s efforts to lift the sanctions.”
Then, “Lithuania has a good relationship with the US and as a member of the
EU it tends to implement the common position of the Union… While Argentina
and Luxembourg have no meaningful participation or contribution in the
UNSC” — ouch! — “Australia and South Korea tend to take positions similar
to that of the US. Jordan has assigned non-resident Ambassador to Eritrea…
During its previous membership of the UNSC, Chile had expressed that in
accordance to international law Eritrea has a better legal case.”
One problem, the memo says, is the last report of the Somalia Eritrea
Monitoring Group: “Italy, Norway, Kenya and Somalia who were mentioned in
the report also criticized the Group. The Group’s reports exposed the
rampant corruption in the Somali Government.”
As this reporter first uploaded to this site, Somalia asked that the chair
of the SEMG be fired; Kenya declared one of the Group’s members persona
non-grata.
So, the Ethiopian memo counsels, Ethiopian diplomats should “facilitate the
resolution of the misunderstanding the group has with Kenya and Somalia.”
Good luck.
Received on Fri Jun 27 2014 - 22:46:00 EDT