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26 May 2009 Shabait, Asmara — President Isaias
Afwerki underlined that Eritrea believes that ensuring
Sudanese unity is tantamount to ensuring peace and
stability in the region. The President made the
statements in an interview he gave to the Saudi
newspaper Al-Watan and that of Sudan, Ajras Alhuriya.
Indicating that the path of unity is the best
option to the Sudan, he pointed out that the secession
of South Sudan is not in the interest of both the
people of South Sudan and the North, besides being a
dangerous choice. In this respect, President Isaias
underscored that Eritrea, without meddling in Sudan's
internal affairs, would stand on the side of Sudanese
unity as it is above anything else. He further
stressed the need for the SPLM leadership to refrain
from agitating and adopting such a choice which is
dangerous not only to the Sudan but also the region as
a whole.
The President went on to explain that Eritrea's
relations with the SPLM are not at the expense of the
ties between the Eritrean and Sudanese people, and
that its support to the South Sudan issue is mainly in
the interest of the Sudanese issue. Stating that the
prevailing reality in South Sudan in the wake of the
Naivasha Agreement is not as anticipated, he said that
the oil revenue secured by the South Sudan government
he has not been channeled to development and the
improvement of the people's standard of living, and
that the political situation there is not stable.
Eritrea's criticism towards remedying this error
before it leads to grave consequences fully attests to
the nation's enduring solidarity to the entire
Sudanese people, and not something that implies change
in its stance, President Isaias elaborated.
Pointing out that the leaders of the East Sudan
Front themselves are to be held accountable for the
problem encountered in the implementation of the East
Sudan Agreement, the President emphasized that if at
all the accord is to be effectively implemented and
development projects undertaken as envisaged, the
situation within the Front should be addressed . The
problem should be properly studied and identified, and
thus resolved in a constructive manner, he added. In
this connection, President Isaias asserted that
Eritrea is ready to make due contribution in the issue
as it has the responsibility as a partner.
As regards the Darfur issue and Eritrea's
initiative, he stated that such an initiative is
genuine, and that as a partner the nation maintains
firm stance that the issue should be left to the
Sudanese people free from external interference.
Indicating that Eritrea would play modest role in
creating conducive ground to this end, the President
emphasized that a genuine solution, and not one
orchestrated for public relations gimmick, would bring
about a lasting solution to the issue.
He went on to explain that the proliferation of
armed groups in Darfur is one of the factors
complicating the issue, and that they did not manage
to ensure unity due to external interference. If at
all a solution is to be achieved for the issue
exposing Sudan's unity to danger, these armed groups
should have common stance and views towards holding
dialogue, the President asserted.
In response he gave to a question as to the
progress made regarding the statement issued following
President Omar Hassan Al-Beshir's visit to Eritrea
pointing to free movement between Eritrea and Sudan,
President Isaias said that the agreement is already
under implementation, especially there exists free
movement along land ports.
EsinIslam.Com
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