Eritrean reservation on Egyptian - Ethiopian initiative for Somali crisis

Eritrean President Asias Afworki restated his government's reservations toward the Ethiopian - Egyptian initiative to solve the problem of civil war in Somalia.

Afworki said Eritrea has a stated official attitude toward solving the crisis and that beginning a new initiative with the complicated situation and the increased sensitivity in Somalia will help escalate the crisis.

Afworki said that he explained the Eritrean attitude toward Somalia to Egyptian President Mubarak during his visit to Egypt. He said agreed with president Mubarak that solving the Somali crisis calls for cooperation between all the parties concerned with the crisis.

He said Mubarak supported the government authority initiative for development and fighting drought. He also confirmed the cooperation between the Egyptian government and Igad in order to achieve a fair solution to the Somalia crisis.