Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 1 November 2013 (SPS) - The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Berhane Gebre-Christos, has expressed his country's support for the inalienable right of the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to self-determination and independence as well as complete sovereignty over its national territory according to the African Union resolutions.
"It's been a long time on this issue and it is time for the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to freedom and independence. Ethiopia fully supports this right," said Berhane Gebre-Christos, during a meeting Wednesday in the headquarters of his ministry, with the Ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Ethiopia, Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mr. Lamine Baaly.
The Sahrawi Ambassador briefed the Ethiopian party on the latest developments related to the Sahrawi issue, in particular the recent visit by the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to the region, Mr. Christopher Ross and the circumstances surrounded the visit of dangerous deterioration of human rights in the occupied territories of Western sahara such as the brutal repression by Moroccan occupation forces against the peaceful demonstrations organized by the Sahrawi citizens on the eve of the visit.
‘The meeting was meaningfull and fraternal and comes within the framework of bilateral consultation between the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and the Federal Democratic of Ethiopia. We discussed a number of issues of mutual concern, including the efforts of the United Nations to overcome the obstacles that impede the excercise of the Sahrawi people to its inalienable right to self-determination’ indicated the Sahrawi diplomat. (SPS)
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