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STATEMENTBYHIS EXCELLENCY MR. OSMAN SALEHMINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE STATE OF ERITREAATTHE GENERAL DEBATE
OF THE 65th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONSGENERAL ASSEMBLY

NEW YORK, 28 SEPTEMBER 2010

Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me start by extending my sincere congratulations to you, Mr. President, andyour country, Switzerland, for your election to preside over the 65t h session of theUnited Nations General Assembly. I am confident that, with your extensive
experience and diplomatic skill, you will lead this session of the General
Assembly to a successful conclusion. I pledge the support of the Eritreandelegation in your noble efforts for the common good. I wish also to commend
your predecessor, His Excellency Dr. Ali Abdulsalam Treki, President of the 64t hsession, for his excellent leadership. He indeed served us well. I would also like tothank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his leadership and his report on thework of our United Nations at the outset of this General Debate.
Mr. President,We meet again at this 65t h session of the General Assembly to expound on thestate of our individual countries and to reflect on regional, continental and globalaffairs. We come year after year to this august gathering to share our thoughts andexplain our positions on some issues of interest. Yet, we realize that the outcomeof our deliberations and resolutions fall far short of our own expectations, letalone the aspirations of humanity. We agree that the institutions and procedures ofthis organization have long outlived their time; and yet, we remain paralyzed intransforming the United Nations.
While the prospects for a rapid reform of the United Nations system appear to bedim, we cannot and will not give up. We have to continue to speak out and work
tirelessly for a United Nations that is fit for the 21s t century as well as for a morejust and equitable world. At the same time, we have to focus on our own nations
and regions to ensure peaceful and stable environment as well as dignified life forour peoples.
Mr. President,
It is this perspective that informs Eritrea’s policies at the national, regional andinternational levels. Internationally, Eritrea seeks, through robust and constructive
engagement, to make its modest contribution to global peace, security, justice andequity, and to the protection and enhancement of the environment in the face ofchanges that threaten the very survival of humanity.
Regionally, Eritrea’s efforts are directed at securing peace, stability, development
and cooperation in the wider Horn of Africa and the Red Sea regions. We
endeavour to contribute to transforming our dangerous neighbourhood, aneighbourhood mired in numerous conflicts, into a cooperative and peacefulregion.

In this connection, I wish to touch upon some of Eritrea’s immediate concerns:
1. The Sudan
In regards to the Sudan, Eritrea is working closely with the Sudanese parties, aswell as with regional and international actors, as the country enters a critical
period in its history. Eritrea believes that the international community as a wholeneeds to wholeheartedly support the parties to the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement, or the CPA, as they approach the momentous referendum date inJanuary 2011 and beyond. Irrespective of the outcome of the referendum,relations of trust and cooperation between the parties are crucial for peace andstability, not only in the north and South, but throughout the region. For all thesereasons, we ought to encourage the parties to reach agreement on the postreferendum issues and relations as soon as is feasible. There is a need as well tosimultaneously help the protagonists in the Darfur conflict to finally reach anagreement within the context of the Doha talks that are set to resume in the next
few days.
2. Somalia
On Somalia, it is Eritrea’s considered view, borne out by the bitter experience andspiraling violence of the past two decades, that there can be no military solution to
the problem in Somalia. While this is a conviction that by now is widely shared in
the international community, serious doubts continue to be raised as to whether
the alternative -that is, a Somali-owned and Somali-driven, inclusive politicalprocess- is possible and practicable. Eritrea does not by any means believe orsuggest that this is easy or that it can lead to immediate results. It willundoubtedly be a complex and protracted process, but ultimately achievable. For,even in the past two turbulent decades, Somalis have more than once,
demonstrated that given the right environment, they are capable of finding homegrown solutions to their problems. Eritrea, therefore, urges the United Nations
and all those concerned with peace and stability in Somalia to earnestly engage all
Somalis and to give the political process the serious and sustained attention it
deserves.
3. Eritrea-Ethiopia
While the United Nations grapples with Sudan and Somalia, it continues to ignore
the grave consequences of Ethiopia’s continued occupation of sovereign Eritrean
territory, eight years after the ruling of the Eritrea-Ethiopia BoundaryCommission (EEBC), and three years after the Commission ended its work bydepositing in the United Nations the demarcated boundary between the twocountries. Ethiopia’s illegal occupation and the United Nations’ silence, whichmean the continuation of the conflict, is exacting a heavy price on the peoples ofEritrea and Ethiopia and complicating the regional situation. I wish to remind theUnited Nations that Eritrea awaits responsible and urgent action to end Ethiopia’sviolation of international law and its threat to regional peace and security.
Mr. President,
Eritrea’s constructive engagement on regional and international matters stems
from its firm conviction that a conducive, external environment is essential fornation building. As Eritrea enters its 20t h year of independence, it remains focusedon broad-based and people-centered political, economic, social and culturaldevelopment that will afford a life of dignity and prosperity to our people. Afterseveral years of consistent investment in health, education, agriculture and otheressential infrastructure, we have created a solid basis for sustained economic
growth. It is expected that trade as well as domestic and foreign investment will
provide additional impetus for the growth of our economy. I wish to seize thisopportunity to extend our invitation to all interested countries and their enterprises
to become our partners in development.
I thank you, Mr. President.

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