Egypt

QNA reports that Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Ambassador Mona Omar has welcomed the mediation of the State of Qatar to settle the dispute between Eritrea and Djibouti, adding that Egypt welcomes any mediation that will realize peace between the two coutries.

She announced that her country was ready to make any effort to help achieve peace in this vital and important region, stressing that the return of normalcy between Eritrea and Djibouti is of interest to Egypt.

On the other hand, the Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister revealed in a press statement released today that Chadian President Idriss Deby will begin a two-day visit to Cairo tomorrow (Tuesday) where he will hold talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and a number of officials on bilateral relations in addition to the latest developments in Sudan, especially in the Darfur region among others.

She also that Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is expected to pay a visit to Egypt during the coming period, during which he is expected to hold talks with Egyptian officials on the situation in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

By Barry Malone

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said he is willing to meet Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki despite more than 10 years of bitter words and a bloody border war.

Eritrea last month accused Ethiopia of blocking its participation in African Union (AU) summits in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa — seat of the 53-nation body.

Responding to questions, Meles denied the claims and said Isaias was welcome in Ethiopia.

“If the Eritrean government is eager to send any person, whether the president himself or any person, and participate in meetings they will be treated exactly like any other delegation,” Meles told reporters late on Thursday.

Meles said it was Addis Ababa’s obligation as AU headquarters.

The 1998-2000 war between two of the world’s poorest countries killed at least 70,000 people. An independent border commission in 2002 awarded the flashpoint town of Badme to Eritrea but Ethiopia still occupies the territory.

“I am prepared to talk to anybody on matters that help peace in the neighbourhood,” Meles said. “So as I have made it very clear on many occasions we are ready to talk to them at any level, at any time, any place.”

Meles did not say whether he was willing to discuss the border issue. ”I have no obligation to meet him at the airport,” Meles added.

In December, the U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions on Eritrea, accusing it of backing rebel groups in Somalia, where at least 21,000 people have been killed in violence since the beginning of 2007.

The sanctions, adopted in December and backed by 13 of the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, include an arms embargo, travel restrictions and asset freezes for some of the country’s top officials.

Asmara says the Security Council is a proxy for the United States and says the multi-state body continues to ignore the fact that their territory is being occupied by Ethiopia, Washington’s strongest ally in the Horn of Africa.

(Editing by Giles Elgood)

Copyright © 2010 Reuters

A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) met on Tuesday with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita on ways to enhance ties between the two nations, according to reports from its capital Djibouti.

China and Djibouti have strengthened their political trust and conducted mutually beneficial cooperation since they forged diplomatic ties in 1979, said Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The two countries have maintained close coordination on international affairs, Wang said, adding that relationship between the CPC and Djibouti Popular Rally for Progress (RPP) has become an important part of bilateral ties.

China is willing to work together with Djibouti to boost mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and strengthen exchanges between the two parties and two countries, he said.

President Guelleh, who is also RPP chairman, said Djibouti is ready to promote its pragmatic cooperation with China, a major partner of the African nation, so as to benefit the two peoples.

Prime Minister and RPP Vice Chairman Dileita spoke highly of China’s Africa policy and the Djibouti-China relations, and reaffirmed his country’s adherence to the one-China policy.

Wang arrived in Djibouti Tuesday, the last leg of his six-nation Africa tour. He has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Benin, Mali and Senegal. Source: (Xinhua)