Ethiopian Leader admits allegation of Eritrean air strike
based "on wrong information"

Visafric—Feb. 7, 99

Diplomatic sources in Addis Ababa say that the Ethiopian Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi has admitted his government’s allegation last Friday that
Eritrea launched an air strike on Adi Grat may be based on " wrong
information."

The sources say that the Prime Minister is said to have admitted this to
ambassadors who confronted him with information proving that Eritrea had
not launched an air attack on Adi Grat. The ambassadors are said to have
cautioned the Ethiopian leader against using the allegation as a pretext to
break the US brokered moratorium on air strikes, warning that Ethiopia
would be held solely responsible for any abrogation of the moratorium .

Meanwhile, Eritrean TV today reported that the United States is still
awaiting response from Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to its
request to visit Adi Grat to verify Ethiopia’s claims that Eritrea launched an
air attack on Adi Grat last Friday .

The report added that military attaches from the German and French
embassies in Ethiopia are also said to have requested the Ethiopian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for authorization to go to Adi Grat for the same
purpose. The diplomats were informed that there were no flights available
to the area for security reasons. Although the French reportedly suggested
to use their own aircraft and take responsibility for their own safety, the
Ethiopian authorities are yet to respond to the request to visit Adi Grat.