Eritrea allowed to appoint AU envoy

(PANA)-- The African Union Commission Chief Jean Ping, has informed Eritrea to send an ambassador to represent it in Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union (AU), despite Eritrea’s frosty relations with hosts, Ethiopia.

Eritrea, which is one of only two African countries on the AU sanctions list, protested to the African leaders that its right to fair representation at the AU, had been violated. Eritrea’s Foreign minister, Osman Saleh, wrote a protest letter to the AU Commission, saying that it had been unable to enjoy its rights as one of the 53 members of the AU.

‘For over ten years, Eritrea’s right as a member of the African Union has been wilfully violated, in contemptuous disregard of the headquarters agreement with the AU,’ Saleh wrote.

In his response to the Eritrean protest, Ping informed Eritrea in a letter dated 29 January 2010 that the country was entitled to fair representation at the AU. But Eritrea’s right to appoint an envoy or to send a delegation to the AU, would be strictly limited to its work at the AU.

Ping said after receiving the Eritrean protest, he held talks with Ethiopian authorities at the highest level and received assurances that Eritrea could open a mission.

‘We have been informed that the establishment of such a mission will be in accordance with the terms conveyed to you by the former AU Commission Chairperson, Prof Alpha Konare’, Ping said.

Eritrea will be allowed to open an embassy in Addis Ababa, specifically accredited to the AU. This embassy will not be allowed to carry out any bilateral activities and its staff will operate from Addis Ababa, only where the AU headquarters is located, Ping said. Ping said his predecessor, Prof. Konare, also informed Eritrea that it could attend the AU meetings in Ethiopia. He said Ethiopia has assured Eritrean diplomats of visa and security should they plan to attend future AU meetings in Addis Ababa.

‘In light of this, I would urge Mr. Minister, that you kindly reiterate to your government this assurance from the government of Ethiopia, so that its Mission to the AU could be established as soon as possible’, Ping wrote.

Eritrea is under heavy UN sanctions for allegedly supplying arms to rebel fighters in Somalia. Ethiopia proposed the Eritrean sanctions during a meeting in Addis Ababa of the ministers from the Inter-government Authority on Development.

The AU adopted the request to impose sanctions against Eritrea for its destabilisation of Somalia during an AU Summit in June 2009, in Sirte, central Libya. Eritrea and Ethiopia went to war over a disputed territory and have refused to settle their differences. Efforts to mediate the crisis have been opposed by both sides

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