President Isaias holds talks with US Congressman Donald Payne
Shabait.com - January 3, 2008

President Isaias Afwerki today received and held talks at the Denden Hall with Mr. Donald Payne, Member of the House of Representatives in the US Congress.

In the meeting, the two sides held extensive discussion on Eritrean-US relations, the situation in the region, in general, and the Eritrean-Ethiopian border issue, in particular.

The President pointed out that the Eritrean-Ethiopian border issue has reached a legal conclusion in accordance with the Boundary Commission’s final and binding ruling. He further indicated that the detailed map that clearly specifies the exact location where the pillars would be erected has been presented to both sides and the United Nations, thus not only providing a legal and technical conclusion to the issue but also identifying in the map the sovereign Eritrean and Ethiopian territories. President Isaias went on to underline that the remaining task is the withdrawal of the invading Ethiopian forces from sovereign Eritrean territory. He also reminded the US government to apply pressure on the TPLF regime to withdraw its troops from Eritrean territory.

Noting that the so-called “existing tension between the two countries” is simply an attempt to escape from this crucial basic point, the President asserted that Eritrea would not give room at all to any attempt, on the part of the TPLF regime, aimed at diverting the attention of the international community from the basic issue.

Congressman Donald Payne explained on his part that it is his conviction and repeatedly stated stance that since the EEBC ruling is final and binding, it should be implemented and, as such, the US government is duty bound to put sufficient pressure on the Ethiopian government to bear the EEBC’s ruling ...