Contact Group on Piracy Off Somalia Works with Somaliland But Not Eritrea:
Of Djibouti & SEMG
<
https://www.beaconreader.com/matthew-russell-lee> Matthew Russell Lee
30.05.2014
Overview
While the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, it was confirmed
this month, works with Somaliland, it does not work with Eritrea despite the
latter's long Red Sea coastline. This reporter interviewed new Eritrean
Ambassador to the UN Girma Asmerom about this snub, about the UN sanctions
and the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group and Qatar's mediation of
Eritrea's dispute with Djibouti.
Published May 21 at 10:45 pm
UNITED NATIONS, May 21 - When the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of
Somalia met earlier this month at the UN, the newsletter it handed out
focused mostly on Puntland. This reporter asked about Somaliland, with its
aspiration for independence. <
http://youtu.be/2CLgrGpNjZY> Video here.
Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary General, European External Action Service,
replied that Somaliland was present at the meeting but not representing the
country. Moments later, several contacts in Hargeisa in Somaliland chimed in
over Twitter, naming Somaliland's representative: Mohamed Osman.
Etienne de Poncins, Head of Mission for EUCAP Nestor, confirmed that Mohamed
Osman was present at the meeting. But not at the meeting or in the Contact
Group is Eritrea, despite it long coastline on the Red Sea. The country's
new ambassador to the UN Girma Asmerom spoke with this reporter about the
snub from the EU, about the
<
http://www.beaconreader.com/matthew-russell-lee/in-leaked-report-un-recount
s-somalia-charcoal-disputes-with-uae-arms-notifications-eritrea-meeting>
UN's Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group and his country's dispute with
Djibouti, mediated by Qatar.
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Girma Asmerom marveled at Eritrea's exclusion from the Contact Group, and
pointed out that despite it the country fights and prevents piracy. He said
the SEMG will not be allowed in as long as it has convicted Eritrea in
advance.
He chided Djibouti for, as he put it, trying to raise its dispute with
Eritrea in forums beyond the Qatari mediation. This reporter is in the
process of getting Djibouti's side of this story. For now we can say: the
visit to Djibouti of US National Security Adviser Susan Rice, it is pointed
out, came just before a campaign of US drone strikes in Yemen. Is that how
it works? We will have more on this.
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Received on Fri May 30 2014 - 16:52:34 EDT