Eritrea describes UN sanctions as shameful

Eritrea describes UN sanctions as shameful
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:01:06 GMT
Eritrea's ambassador to the UK has described UN imposed sanctions against his country as "shameful", rejecting the allegations that Asmara aids opposition forces in Somalia. 

"Originally it was said we had soldiers and then later came military support and now all of a sudden after certain discussions and opposition they started to talk about political, military and logistical support," Tesfamichael Gerahtu told BBC. 

"Now we are 100% sure that we have never, never, never supplied military equipment or otherwise to the extremists in Somalia," said Gerahtu. 

The UN Security Council (UNSC) passed a resolution on Wednesday imposing an arms embargo, freezing assets belonging to Eritrea's political and military leadership as well as implementing a travel ban on individuals in the country. 

Of the 15 member body of the UNSC, Libya voted against the resolution and China refrained from voting. 

"Eritrea's actions undermining peace and reconciliation in Somalia as well as the dispute between Djibouti and Eritrea constitute a threat to peace and international security," alleges the Ugandan-draft resolution obtained by Reuters. 

The resolution further demands that Eritrea resolve a border dispute with Djibouti and "cease arming, training, and equipping armed groups and their members including al-Shabab, that aim to destabilize the region… cease all efforts to destabilize or overthrow, directly or indirectly" the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Somalia. 

Eritrea blames the United States of instigating UNSC's sanctions. 

In a recent correspondence sent this month to UNSC's chair, Eritrea's UN ambassador Araya Desta charged the US of being "the main architect of this resolution," which he said, "has no factual or legal justifications. 

"The UN Security Council cannot penalize Eritrea for its views simply because (Asmara) does not toe or conform to Washington's policy choices and preferences," Desta wrote in the letter. 

Ethiopia invaded Somalia with US tactical support in 2006, toppling the ruling Islamic party and establishing the TFG. Violence has surged