The Ministry said on Thursday that the discussion Congressman Payne, who sponsored the HR-2003 bill in the US Congress, recently held in Asmara with leader of Sahbia who officially declared his partisanship with terrorism is an indicator of the Congressman's anti-Ethiopia position.

The visit Payne paid to Asmara at a time when the US is making all efforts to get Eritrea, due to its dangerous policy of arming, training, hosting and organizing terrorists, registered on the list of states sponsoring terrorists, has publicized his close collaboration with the terrorist Eritrean government.

The Congressman has expressed his position that the only solution for the Somali conflict is withdrawal of Ethiopian soldiers from Somalia, the Ministry said and noted that such a position may emanate from lack of adequate knowledge about the fact on the ground or to it is deliberately forwarded to bring terrorists to power by toppling down the Somali government that is recognized by the UN, AU and the whole international community.

Such a position brings one into the category of terrorists, the Ministry said, adn added that recommending the withdrawal of Ethiopian Soldiers from Somalia at this time should be equated with supporting remnants of Al Qaeda and the UIC to revive and disrupt the country's stability.

Concerning the Ethio-Eritrea border conflict, Payne affirmed the Shabian leader that he would make all efforts so that the US would pressurize Ethiopia to accept the decisions of the border commission not because he missed that Ethiopia’s repeated attempts towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict were failed due to the ill deeds of the Eritrean government.

However, the Ministry said Payne may be using such a strategy to promote his anti Ethiopia position he pursued during the Ethio-Eritrea border conflict and to save Eritrea from possible measures peace loving nations can take against Eritrea.

Though Payne did give his words to the Shabian leader that he would make efforts so that the US would re launch its diplomatic relation with Eritrea, the Eritrean government is still engaged in disrupting the peace and stability of the Horn of Afirca region by offering training and arming international terrorists.

This issue is not hidden form the international community, the Ministry said and added that the US and its allies that are aggressively trying to smash international terrorism would not forge relation with the government that is closely working with terrorist forces, at any rate.

The Eritrean people can not tolerate the Shabian government that aggravated their misery by creating partnership with terrorists forces any more, the Ministry noted, and added that is why Payne's discussion with the Shabian leader has sparked opposition from the Eritrean people themselves.

Since the efforts Ethiopia and other countries of the region are making to speed up their development will bear fruit only if their peace and security is fully ensured, the Ministry said and called on those forces that are pursuing anti-Ethiopian positions by creating allies with the Eritrean government to refrain from their ill moves.

R--6:00-6:45 Pm

E--6:45-7:12

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