Ethiopia's New PM Says Policies Will Remain Constant

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn giving his maiden speech at the UN General Assembly as Ethiopia's leader. Photo UN September 28, 2012 New York, NY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK — Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has pledged to maintain the controversial policies of his predecessor, Meles Zenawi, who died last month. The Ethiopian leader outlined his views on foreign and domestic issues in an interview with VOA's Peter Heinlein in New York.


On Eritrea, he said he sees no sign of a thaw in a relationship that has been frozen since an indecisive two-year war that ended in 2000. That conflict left at least 70,000 people dead.
Eritrea says progress depends on Ethiopia's acceptance of an international border commission ruling that favors Eritrea's position. However, Hailemariam says the only solution lies in bilateral dialogue.
"There is no change in policy. Our policy designed after the war since nine years, a standing policy that we need to have dialogue without conditions, so we offered this to the Eritrean government and leadership and are waiting for this to happen for the last nine years and will continue to do so," said Hailemariam.