(August 18 2011, Addis Ababa)--Eritrea has launched a last-ditch diplomatic offensive to stave off further international sanctions that would cut off major streams of revenue for the government, crippling its already weak economy.
The UN Security Council is preparing to vote on adopting a report that accuses Asmara of working to destabilise the Horn of Africa region, including financing armed groups in Somalia, Sudan and Djibouti.
The Eritrean government has instead called for an internationally-brokered "political and diplomatic" solution to its long-standing territorial row with Ethiopia, which Asmara said was the main problem in the Horn region.
"At this time what is required is not isolationist measures that would destabilise the region but diplomatic and political efforts that will build trust and confidence among the countries in the region," a statement circulated by Eritrea's missions at the UN and Africa Union read in part.
Eritrea, already under a UN arms embargo, has over the last month been under huge international pressure after a UN Monitoring Group report accused it of supporting extremist groups including Somali fundamentalist militias as part of the row with bitter neighbour Ethiopia. (Read: The Horn's bad boy)
Eritrea has rejected the charges and said the report had relied on "mainly Ethiopian intelligence".
Western diplomats based in Addis Ababa told this reporter on condition of anonymity that additional sanctions would seriously affect the weak Eritrean economy.
Increasing isolation
The draft UN resolution proposes far-reaching economic sanctions against Eritrea's main sources of income, including its gold mines and diaspora remittances which the Monitoring Group report said were used to fund the armed groups.
Source: Africa Review
The UN Security Council is preparing to vote on adopting a report that accuses Asmara of working to destabilise the Horn of Africa region, including financing armed groups in Somalia, Sudan and Djibouti.
The Eritrean government has instead called for an internationally-brokered "political and diplomatic" solution to its long-standing territorial row with Ethiopia, which Asmara said was the main problem in the Horn region.
"At this time what is required is not isolationist measures that would destabilise the region but diplomatic and political efforts that will build trust and confidence among the countries in the region," a statement circulated by Eritrea's missions at the UN and Africa Union read in part.
Eritrea, already under a UN arms embargo, has over the last month been under huge international pressure after a UN Monitoring Group report accused it of supporting extremist groups including Somali fundamentalist militias as part of the row with bitter neighbour Ethiopia. (Read: The Horn's bad boy)
Eritrea has rejected the charges and said the report had relied on "mainly Ethiopian intelligence".
Western diplomats based in Addis Ababa told this reporter on condition of anonymity that additional sanctions would seriously affect the weak Eritrean economy.
Increasing isolation
The draft UN resolution proposes far-reaching economic sanctions against Eritrea's main sources of income, including its gold mines and diaspora remittances which the Monitoring Group report said were used to fund the armed groups.
Source: Africa Review
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