Eritrea denies smuggling arms to Darfur

ASMARA – Eritrea denied yesterday UN charges of smuggling weapons to rebels in Sudan’s western Darfur region, as direct flights resumed between Asmara and Khartoum.

UN sanctions experts said this week Eritrea had given arms, logistical support, and training to both the Sudan Liberation Movement/ Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and probably continues to do so. “I am not only denying the charges but questioning the integrity of the United Nations and its leadership,” Eritrea’s Information Minister Ali Abdu told Reuters by telephone.”The different parties should concentrate on bringing about a comprehensive political solution that includes all parties, and concentrate on the interests of the Sudanese population.”The report by UN sanctions experts also accused Chad and Libya of backing the Darfur rebel groups.The SLM/A and the JEM both have representative offices in the Eritrean capital.Khartoum also alleges that Asmara gives military support to rebels in eastern Sudan where a low-scale insurgency appears to be gathering pace.Rebels there have similar complaints to the Darfur groups of marginalisation by central government.Eritrea, which borders the rebel-controlled area in eastern Sudan, denies giving military aid but admits to political and administrative support.The land border between the two countries has remained officially closed since October 2002, when Khartoum accused Asmara of support for a rebel offensive in eastern Sudan, which captured the town of Hamesh Koreb.In December – as relations between the two countries appeared to ease – a senior Sudanese official said he expected talks with Eritrea to begin on opening their common border.On Tuesday, direct flights between the two countries resumed after stopping early last year with the collapse of a regional airline.But travel agents in Asmara are now offering twice weekly flights on Yemen’s national airline, Yemenia.”It is a gesture or a signal from Khartoum that we are ready to normalise our relations (with Eritrea),” said Ibrahim Matar, the Sudanese Charge d’Affaires in Eritrea.But Eritrea remains wary of Sudanese intentions.”The core issue is not the resumption or non-resumption of flights, but the genuine political will to create a sustainable peace and stability in the region,” minister Abdu added.- Nampa-Reuters”I am not only denying the charges but questioning the integrity of the United Nations and its leadership,” Eritrea’s Information Minister Ali Abdu told Reuters by telephone.”The different parties should concentrate on bringing about a comprehensive political solution that includes all parties, and concentrate on the interests of the Sudanese population.”The report by UN sanctions experts also accused Chad and Libya of backing the Darfur rebel groups.The SLM/A and the JEM both have representative offices in the Eritrean capital.Khartoum also alleges that Asmara gives military support to rebels in eastern Sudan where a low-scale insurgency appears to be gathering pace.Rebels there have similar complaints to the Darfur groups of marginalisation by central government.Eritrea, which borders the rebel-controlled area in eastern Sudan, denies giving military aid but admits to political and administrative support.The land border between the two countries has remained officially closed since October 2002, when Khartoum accused Asmara of support for a rebel offensive in eastern Sudan, which captured the town of Hamesh Koreb.In December – as relations between the two countries appeared to ease – a senior Sudanese official said he expected talks with Eritrea to begin on opening their common border.On Tuesday, direct flights between the two countries resumed after stopping early last year with the collapse of a regional airline.But travel agents in Asmara are now offering twice weekly flights on Yemen’s national airline, Yemenia.”It is a gesture or a signal from Khartoum that we are ready to normalise our relations (with Eritrea),” said Ibrahim Matar, the Sudanese Charge d’Affaires in Eritrea.But Eritrea remains wary of Sudanese intentions.”The core issue is not the resumption or non-resumption of flights, but the genuine political will to create a sustainable peace and stability in the region,” minister Abdu added.- Nampa-Reuters