Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said US is keen to support the democratization process in Ethiopia.


US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his deputy to discuss bilateral relations and regional matters before cutting short her visit due to ash cloud created by a volcanic eruption in the Ethio-Eritrean boarder.


At the conclusion of the dialogue, Hailemariam told journalists that the two countries have discussed about a range of issues including peace and security, development and democratization.


“We have started a dialogue on democratization process in Ethiopia,” Hailemariam told journalists. “The US is eager to support, in objective way, the democratization process in Ethiopia”.


Ethiopia and the United States had established a Bilateral Dialogue Mechanism in Washington two years ago. The mechanism consist three groups including Economic and Business, Peace and Security, and Democracy.


Hailemariam said the two countries have also evaluated the progress made by these groups.


“The dialogues are going well and we want to continue to build on it,” Hailemariam said.


According to the Deputy Prime Minister, discussions on regional matters including political situations in Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea were also discussed with the US Secretary of State.


“On Somalia, we have agreed to work collaboratively in support of the Kampala Accord [June 2011],” Hailemariam said.


Concerning the situation in Sudan, the leaders have also discussed about ways of urging both North and South Sudan to successfully achieve the peace accord of 2005 including deploying Ethiopian peacekeeping forces in Abyei.



Source: http://www.waltainfo.com/