From: Eri News (er_news@dehai.org)
Date: Mon Jun 08 2009 - 22:31:24 EDT
INTERVIEW-U.S. says Eritrea must stop Somalia meddling
Mon Jun 8, 2009 8:17pm EDT
* Eritrea plays unhelpful role
* No sign of big Ethiopian presence in Somalia
By Sue Pleming
WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - Eritrea is playing an unhelpful role
in nearby Somalia and must cease its actions there if it wants better
relations with Washington, the Obama administration's top diplomat
for Africa said on Monday.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson
pointed a finger at Eritrea for stoking hostilities in Somalia, whose
government is battling militants.
"The role that Eritrea has played most recently has not been
particularly helpful in helping to bring about a return to political
stability and normalcy there (Somalia)," Carson said in an interview
with Reuters.
He accused Eritrea of "aiding and abetting" the movement of arms into
Somalia and of supporting the militant Islamist group al Shabaab and
its leaders.
Somalia's government also has accused Eritrea of supporting Islamist
militants with planeloads of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled
grenades and other weapons.
Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki has denied the allegations, saying
U.S. agents were spreading lies.
"We would like very much to have good, normal relations with the
government or Eritrea but that is predicated upon Eritrea acting as a
responsible citizen in the neighborhood," Carson said.
"If Eritrea is prepared to be a responsible player in the region and
to act responsibly in its governance, then the prospects are good for
a better relationship," he said.
Eritrea's key rival, Ethiopia, sent thousands of troops into Somalia
in 2006 to help topple the Islamist movement holding the capital
Mogadishu and most of the south. Those troops pulled out early this
year but Ethiopia has kept a heavy border presence to counter any
threat from Islamists.
But Western analysts say Ethiopia and Eritrea have been fighting a
proxy war in Somalia. The two countries still are bitter over a
border conflict in which 70,000 people died.
Last week, Addis Ababa acknowledged its military personnel had been
carrying out reconnaissance missions into Somalia but Carson said he
had no indication the Ethiopians had returned with any "large combat
elements."
Somalia's Western-backed transitional government is battling against
rival Islamist groups in violence that has swelled the country's more
than 1 million internal refugee population. Aid agencies say 3
million people need urgent food aid in one of the world's worst
humanitarian crises.
In addition, Carson said refugee camps in Kenya were overflowing with
tens of thousands of Somalis flooding into the north of the country
every month.
Kenya is suffering its own political problems, with its coalition
government criticized for not tackling corruption or implementing
reforms fast enough.
"We are concerned about the slow pace of implementation of the Kofi
Annan accords which brought an end to the violence which occurred
after the very flawed December 2007 process in Kenya," Carson said,
referring to an agreement brokered by former U.N. chief Annan.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki formed a coalition government with
opposition leader Raila Odinga in early 2008 to halt violence after a
disputed election.
"If Kenya is to make both political and economic success and gains,
it has to move swiftly to resolve these political issues," Carson
said. (Editing by Bill Trott)
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