The remark from the president of Eritrea is “meaningless”, says Workneh Gebeyehu
borkena
January 24, 2018
In a press conference with state and affiliated media regarding last week’s trip to Egypt, Ethiopian Foreign Affairs minister was asked about Eritrean president’s interview with Eritrean state TV and his remark about the situation in Ethiopia.
Workneh Gebeyehu said “the interview [Eritrea’s president interview] came after a long time and he took very long time talking about a sovereign country [Ethiopia]”
He stated that Eritrea’s president interview was motivated by the perception and hope that the situation in the middle east and gulf would countries would bring about opportunities for Eritrea. “We”, said Workeneh, “take his statement as meaningless.”
Citing government sources, Chinese news source, Xinhua, reported this past week that about 148 Ethiopian rebel forces who were based in Eritrea surrendered to the Ethiopian government.
In an interview with Eritrean state TV on January 14, Eritrean president dismissed the rumor, which was published by Aljazeera, that Egyptian forces are in Eritrea.
He also implied that the regime in Ethiopia ( it is referred as Woyane) is unlikely to survive the political turmoil in the country and that its collapse is inevitable adding that there exists a rational basis for Eritrea to support Ethiopian oppositions that are fighting against the regime in Ethiopia.
Eritrean president’s remark about the regime in Ethiopia and renewed commitment to support Ethiopian opposition groups is overall seen in a positive light by Ethiopians in the opposition quarter although the image that Eritrean president Isayas Afeworki tried to paint Eritrea as pro-Ethiopian was criticized in light of relentless support before the relation between Eritrean administration and regime in Ethiopia went bad.
While many Ethiopians have a positive outlook towards the Eritrean government, there are also those who are skeptical about Eritrea.
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Video credit : EBC
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