Italian mediation between Eritrea and Ethiopia

Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Rino Serri has stated that he tried to revive the peace negotiations between Eritrea and Ethiopia during talks he held on Monday and Sunday in Asmara and Addis Ababa.

AFP said that Serri said he proposed to the two capitals a new initiative in the framework of the peace plan set out by the Organization of African Unity (OAU). He added, "Our initiative is concentrated on the OAU peace plan through starting this plan very soon."

Seri said that despite some hope that exists of reaching an agreement, the situation is very difficult. Seri arrived on Monday in Addis Ababa from Asmara, where he met with Eritrea's leaders.

The Italian minister arrived on Tuesday night in Addis Ababa from Asmara, where he met with the Eritrean leaders. Today the Italian minister will fly to Djibouti before he once again visits Asmara and then goes back to Rome on Wednesday.