Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, March 11/2013(ENA) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen on Wednesday exchanged views with Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin on issues of mutual concerns.
During the meeting, Demeke hailed the fruitful meeting he had with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and thanked the government of Russia for standing steadfast by Ethiopia during the recently held UN Security Council meeting.
Briefing the Ambassador on the current situations in Tigray, he recalled the unimpeded access granted to humanitarians and the media, including the joint investigation launched to probe into the alleged atrocities committed in the region.
Despite all the positive developments in the region, smear campaigns from some corners against facts on the ground and disregarding the genuine efforts of government did not subside, he said.
Speaking about the investigations on alleged atrocities committed in Tigray, Demeke reiterated Ethiopia’s stance that was reflected in the recently delivered statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the African Union Peace and Security Council on the current situation in Northern Ethiopia.
In this regard, he said, Ethiopia has expressed its will to openly engage the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in undertaking investigations jointly with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
He further noted that the government has also signaled its willingness to collaborate with relevant UN agencies for these investigations.
Ambassador Evgeny Terekhin, on his part, highlighted the importance of scaling up relations between the two sisterly countries by applying provisions of signed agreements and expediting the signing up of delayed ones.
The meeting between the two sides concluded with the Foreign Minister appreciation of the longstanding and fraternal relationship that exists between Ethiopia and Russia which needs to be scaled up with various engagements.
