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UNITED NATIONS, July 11, 2009 – The U.N. Security Council warned Eritrea
on Thursday it would consider action against anyone undermining peace in
Somalia, in a threat of possible sanctions on Asmara for alleged support
to rebels.
The warning, in a formal statement, followed an appeal by African Union
leaders last week to the 15-nation council to impose sanctions on
Eritrea, which the AU said was aiding Islamist insurgents fighting
Somali government forces.
Noting that request, the British-drafted statement said the council was
"deeply concerned in this regard and will consider expeditiously what
action to take against any party undermining the ... peace process" in
the Horn of Africa state.
Somalia's government and others have accused Eritrea of supplying arms
to the insurgents in breach of a U.N. embargo that allows such shipments
only to the government. Diplomats said any sanctions would be considered
after a U.N. group monitoring the embargo reports back later this month.
Al Qaeda-linked fighters belonging to the al Shabaab insurgent group
control much of southern and central Somalia and most of the capital
Mogadishu. Last week over 70 people were killed as government troops
tried to drive back insurgents who have been advancing on government
position in Mogadishu.
The top U.N. political official, Lynn Pascoe, told a council debate it
was "a critical time for Somalia," where 1.3 million people are
internally displaced.
"The choice before us is a stark one," Pascoe said. "Either we help the
Somali people overcome the current attempt to thwart efforts towards
peace, or we allow the new unity government ... to fall to a radical
armed opposition."
Eritrean officials deny the charges of arms supplies. "We haven't given
any weapons to Somali insurgents, or to the government for that matter,"
the Red Sea state's U.N. envoy told Reuters. "They don't have any
evidence at all."
ERITREA BLAMES ETHIOPIA
"They want to corner us by putting sanctions, which is totally
ridiculous," Ambassador Araya Desta said. He called the allegations a
"fabrication" by Eritrea's rival Ethiopia.
But U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice told the council Washington was
"particularly concerned about the financial, military, logistical and
political support that the government of Eritrea is offering to al
Shabaab and other extremists."
Rice said the Eritreans had rebuffed repeated U.S. attempts to discuss
the issue. "But even now it's not too late. The United States calls on
the government of Eritrea to seize this window of opportunity to change
course," she said.
French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert also noted the insurgents were
reportedly receiving arms from Asmara and said France was prepared to
undertake sanctions against those blocking peace.
Pascoe and Security Council envoys urged U.N. member states to fulfill
pledges of support for Somalia's interim government and for a
4,300-strong AU force that backs it. A donors' conference in Brussels
pledged over $200 million in April.
"Without our support, Somalia risks becoming a lasting safe haven and
training ground for those plotting terrorist attacks around the world,"
Rice said.
Rice told the council that despite a strong international response to
piracy off Somalia's coast, more countries needed to take responsibility
for prosecuting captured pirates.
Condemning the widespread practice of paying ransoms to pirates to win
the release of hijacked cargo ships, Rice also proposed creation of a
group of "no concession" states to work together to slow the rise of
piracy. (Editing by Bill Trott).
Source: Reuters, July 09, 2009
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