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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Jan 19 2011 - 15:06:46 EST
Eritrea Reopens African Union Mission
Peter Heinlein 19 January 2011
Eritrea has reopened its mission to the African Union, ending years of
self-imposed exile from the continental organization. But diplomats say the
move does not signal a thaw in relations between Eritrea and its archrival,
the African Union host Ethiopia.
Eritrea's ambassador to the African Union Girma Asmerom Tesfay presented
credentials this week to AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping. An AU statement
said Ping expressed delight at seeing Eritrea return to the 53-member
organization after several years' absence.
Eritrea recalled its previous ambassador in an angry protest at what it
called the African Union's 'failure' to condemn Ethiopia's alleged
violations of a peace agreement that ended a 1998-2000 border war. The
continental body was one of the main brokers of the agreement.
Eritrea broke away from Ethiopia and declared independence in 1993 after a
30-year struggle. But a border dispute sent the neighbors back to war five
years later, and relations have been frozen since.
At Ethiopia's urging, the AU took the unprecedented step in 2009 of asking
the United Nations to penalize Eritrea for providing aid to Islamic fighters
in Somalia. Despite Eritrea's strong denial, the UN Security Council imposed
tough sanctions on the Asmara government, including an arms embargo, asset
freezes and travel bans.
AU Chairman Ping last year rejected Eritrean allegations that Ethiopia was
using its position as AU host to block Eritrea from reopening its mission in
Addis Ababa. Diplomats say Ping has worked tirelessly to bring the estranged
member back into the fold.
Ethiopia's foreign ministry has strongly denied any attempt to block
Eritrea's return. But in a telephone interview, ministry spokesman Dina
Mufti said the re-establishment of Asmara's AU mission will have no effect
on the frozen bilateral relationship.
"It has nothing to do with the situation. We are the host country of the
African Union," said Mufti. "We are under obligation to facilitate anything
for the African Union. That has nothing to do with the status quo."
The Ethiopian spokesman rejected a suggestion that the arrival of an
Eritrean government representative in Addis Ababa might be a sign of a thaw.
He said there has been no change in the status quo.
Eritrea sent a high-level observer delegation to the most recent AU summit
in Kampala last July as a sign of its renewed interest in continental
affairs. There was no immediate word on who might represent the Asmara
government at the next continental summit beginning later this month in
Addis Ababa.
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