Ethiopian FM praises Egypt's efforts to settle dispute with Eritrea

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received on Friday Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin, who delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi concerning the current military dispute between his country and Eritrea.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said after meeting that President Mubarak expressed to Mesfin the importance of staying away from military options to settle the current crisis, and confirmed to him the importance of discussion and negotiation in solving the problem. President Mubarak also expressed to Mesfin Egypt's support to the situation at the Organization of African Unity summit through mediation or the mission made by the summit's head.

After meeting President Mubarak, the Ethiopian minister praised Egypt's efforts to defuse the crisis, adding that Egypt is the only country agreed in the last summit to help mediators intervene between the two parties.

Mesfin excluded the possibility of having direct negotiations between Addis Ababa and Asmara to settle their border dispute as long as Eritrean forces continue to occupy Ethiopian territories.