Meles says Ethiopia not to go to war with Eritrea

18 November, 2007

Addis Ababa, November 17, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - Prime Minster Meles Zenawi said irrespective of provocations on the part of the Eritrean government, Ethiopia would only react if there is full-scale invasion on the country’s territory.

In an interview he made with Al Jazeera on Friday, Meles said, “We repeatedly and publicly stated that we will not go to war with Eritrea”.

The only condition Ethiopia will go to war with Eritrea would be if the Eritrean government makes full-scale invasion on Ethiopia’s territory, he said.

The Eritrean government recognizes that invading Ethiopia is suicidal, he said, “I have no reason to believe that the Eritrean government is a suicider.”

Ethiopia has accepted the delimitation decision made by the International Boundary Commission as legal and binding without preconditions, he said.

However, Meles said, “With regard to the so-called virtual demarcation most legal lawyers will tell you that this is a legal fiction but it is nonsense.”

Delimitation is on the map and demarcation is on the ground there is no such thing as virtual demarcation.

Asked about the Ethiopian defense force staying in Somalia, Meles said withdrawing Ethiopian troops at present would be creating a vacuum and horrendous in terms of security and humanitarian situation in Mogadishu.

“What we see now is picnic compare to what would happen if we were to withdraw in a precipitate manner,” he said, so, while we would wish to withdraw, we will not wish to do so in an irresponsible fashion.

The Ethiopian News Agency