Anti-Eritrea Smear Campaign Attests to the Strength of the People and Government

24 May 2009

Shabait, Asmara — In an interview he gave to TV 4 which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, President Isaias Afwerki said that the anti-Eritrea smear campaign on the part of the CIA and other hostile quarters attests to the strength of the people and Government of Eritrea on the one hand, and the utter failure of enemy quarters on the other.

Noting that such a campaign is but part of ploys employed by special interest groups within successive Administrations in Washington, the President elaborated that it is a long-standing policy pursued by intelligence agencies. Eritrea would not flinch from its correct national path as a result of this futile attempt, he emphasized.

President Isaias further explained that Eritrea's political and economic system is aimed at ensuring social justice, in addition to enabling the majority of the population to become the beneficiaries of national resources and opportunities.

He indicated that the ultimate goal of the people and Government of Eritrea is to build a social order that satisfies the aspirations of the majority through ensuring equitable allocation of resources and opportunities, and thereby upgrade the people's standard of living. In this regard, the President underscored that ensuring national harmony and people-based political participation in all aspects of life remains the key criteria towards realizing the set goal rather than the mere casting of ballot. Hence, the Eritrean people keep on treading the path of socio-economic democracy that gives priority to national harmony, reliable social progress, equal opportunities to citizens and the like, he elucidated.

Replying to a question: "why is Eritrea refusing to receive aid?", President Isaias pointed out that aid should only serve as a transitional means in emergency situations, for it is paralyzing if taken as a culture and addiction. In this connection, he stated that Eritrea opts to ensure food security through its own endeavors.

Indicating that Eritrea is not ready to accommodate those publications which serve foreign agenda and are sponsored by intelligence agencies, the President noted that Eritrea has acquired valuable experience from the activities of the private press, and highlighted the deceptive maneuvers of elements operating in the name of free press.

As regards the participation of Eritrean nationals residing in Sweden in national programs in the Homeland, he pointed out that the Eritrean Community in that country is one of the strongest among counterparts abroad. The President added that members of the Eritrean Community are ambassadors and advocates of their country just like all Eritreans in the Diaspora.

Stressing that Eritrea upholds the conviction that relations with Sweden should be based on respect to freedom and national interest, regional and international peace, development and stability, and above all non-interference in internal affairs, as well as working in equality and partnership, President Isaias underlined that resorting to anti-Eritrea campaign through transgressing the aforementioned prerequisites and acting as an appendage of the agenda of other countries is but unacceptable.

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