Ethiopia Dismisses Eritrea's Allegation

Ethiopian Foreign Ministry has dismissed an accusation by Eritrea that Ethiopian security have detained an Eritrean diplomat at gunpoints, local media reported Saturday.

In a letter addressed to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and all diplomatic missions in Ethiopia, the ministry said the accusation is "unfounded allegation and has no factual basis whatsoever".

The foreign ministry described Eritrea's accusation as "the latest propaganda ploy," saying "Ethiopia strictly abides by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the OAU Headquarters Agreement, and has unblemished record in this regard."

In the letter, Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry also accused the Eritrean government of "repeated breach of norms and practices of diplomatic law" against its embassy in Asmara, capital of Eritrea.

Ethiopian Charge d'Affairs to Eritrea "has suffered cruel treatment and harassment at the hands of Eritrean security personnel", the letter read.

Earlier, Eritrea has sent a letter to the OAU protesting the gunpoint detention of its diplomat by Ethiopian military officials last Tuesday, noting that Ethiopia's action "jeopardizes the peace process between the two countries".






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