Though Ethiopia has replied to Slovakia’s diplomatic note sent in connection with the detaining and subsequent release of Slovak ambassador to Ethiopia, Milan Dubček, the Slovak Foreign Ministry finds the explanation inadequate, the TASR newswire reported on November 12.
“[Slovak] ambassador Igor Slobodník in Berlin has received a reply from Ethiopia,” stated Foreign Affairs Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, as quoted by TASR. “We have scrutinised it but its content did not satisfy us, so we again have sent our reaction,” he added.
Dzurinda explained that Ethiopia has not formally apologised to Slovakia as expected in diplomatic practice, though some parts of the text might be considered a form of an apology.
“The text is quite long and while there are contradictions, we have found it important to react again – hoping that we will receive a satisfactory reply in a short time,” stated Dzurinda, as quoted by TASR.
Dubček was detained on November 5 while he was on a walk, around a ten-minute drive from his residence, without the Ethiopian authorities informing Slovakia or offering any explanation. The ambassador stated he was not aware of committing any violation of Ethiopian law.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has described the incident as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and immediately demanded his immediate release. Ambassador Dubček has returned to Slovakia for consultations.
Source: TASR
*Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports*
*The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings*
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http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/44472/10/slovak_ambassador_to_ethiopia_recalled_for_consultations.html
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Slovak ambassador to Ethiopia recalled for consultations
11 Nov 2011
Slovakia has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, Milan Dubček, Foreign Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda announced at a news conference on Thursday, November 10. He said that the Foreign Ministry had been waiting for three days for an official response from Ethiopia after it sent a diplomatic note demanding not only an explanation but also an apology for Ambassador Dubček's detention between November 5 and 7, the SITA newswire reported.
The Slovak diplomat was detained (and subsequently released) by the Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa at the weekend, the TASR newswire wrote. Dzurinda said that Dubček will remain in Slovakia until Ethiopia acts in line with diplomatic practice and international standards, i.e. until the Ethiopian authorities make an apology and provide guarantees that no such moves will be repeated with respect not only to Slovakia, but also to any other EU-member country.
Dzurinda added that he had spoken to Dubček since he was released on Monday evening and that the ambassador had told him that he was unaware of having committed any crime. Dzurinda said that as far as he knows Dubček hasn't been charged with any offence.
The Foreign Ministry said the ambassador's detention has raised concerns among fellow EU-member states, and that a session of diplomats from EU countries had taken place in Addis Ababa following the incident.
Source: SITA
*Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports*
*The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.*
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