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14 August, 2007
ASMARA (AFP) - Eritrea has been given a 90-day deadline to close its consulate in Oakland, California, a US official said Monday, in a further sign of worsening relations between Washington and Asmara.
"We told them on August 10, that we were withdrawing our consent for the establishment of a consulate in Oakland," a US official said on condition of anonymity.
"The US has taken these actions in response to the restrictions on the US embassy in Asmara," the official added.
The United States scaled down operations at its Asmara embassy in February after claiming Asmara had demanded to inspect its diplomatic mail bags.
"For the past year, the US has tried to work with the government of Eritrea to resolve these issues," the official said.
Officials in Asmara said the closure reflected US support for neighbouring Ethiopia, which remains in a tense border standoff with Eritrea following their 1998-2000 bloody war.
"I have not seen the explanations they have given for this, but the US are pursuing an unfriendly policy against Eritrea, so I am not surprised," said Yemane Gebremeskel, director of Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki's office.
Eritrea, which has a full embassy in Washington, blames Washington for Addis Ababa's failure to implement a UN-appointed boundary commission ruling that followed a 2000 peace deal.
"Fundamentally, it boils down to US policy and the support they are giving to Ethiopia while Ethiopia is violating international law," Yemane told AFP in Asmara.
The US-based Eritrean community is estimated at between 500,000 and 750,000.
Many use the consulate to pay a two percent income tax to the Eritrean state, an important cash source for Asmara.