The Red Sea Is Slipping into Total Arab Control – Amb. Cohen
December 28, 2015 Hey, all you Abyssinians out there. While you are wasting time squabbling with each other and not talking to each other, the governments of the Arabian Peninsula are eating your lunch. Have you noticed
Hey, all you Abyssinians out there. While you are wasting time squabbling with each other and not talking to each other, the governments of the Arabian Peninsula are eating your lunch.
Have you noticed that warships from the United Arab Emirates are operating out of the port of Asab 24/7? Their interest is in Yemen, not in Eritrea or Ethiopia. There are reports that Saudi Arabia has taken a 50-year lease on Asab. If that is true, the next step will be Sharia Law in the Horn of Africa big time.
I think it is time for Abyssinians to take back control of the west bank of the Red Sea before it is too late.
One way to accomplish this is for Eritrea and Ethiopia to finally end the war of 1998-2000 and normalize relations. It can be done as a win-win.
Eritrea and Ethiopia should send delegations to a neutral venue, like Geneva. With the two delegations present, the following agreements will be signed:
- Badme will be returned to Eritrean control pursuant to the Algerian arbitration agreement.
- Immediately after the symbolic return of Badme to Eritrean control in a brief ceremony in the morning, that afternoon, the two delegations will negotiate the following agreements:
- Each government will guarantee that its territory will not be allowed to be used by elements hostile to the other government as a base for destabilization of the other government.
- Pre-war economic relations will be restored to the status quo ante, including a dedicated duty-free Ethiopian section of Asab Port under a 50-year lease at an indexed rental.
- The IMF will be requested to establish a currency exchange daily settlement regime between the Birrh and the Nakfa.
- There will be free movement of persons between the two countries, including the right to work and establish businesses.
- There will be embassies established in both countries with an exchange of ambassadors.
- The border will be totally demilitarized.
- Merchandise produced in each country will not be subject to trade duties in the movement between the two countries. The two countries will have a common external tariff.
- Establishment of security control and the exploitation of resources in the Red Sea will be joint.
Upon the signature of a final normalization agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the following will take place:
- The United Nations Security Council will lift sanctions against Eritrea.
- Eritrea and Ethiopia will jointly negotiate Red Sea security agreements with Arab countries bordering on the water way.
- Eritrea and Ethiopia will jointly guarantee the security and neutrality of the State of Djibouti.
- Eritrea and Ethiopia will agree to exchange intelligence about terrorist activity in the Horn of Africa.
The foregoing is a list of ideas that are out on the table. It is imperative that Ethiopia and Eritrea begin to normalize. Otherwise, the countries east of the Red Sea will make major inroads west of the Red Sea to the detriment of both countries as well as to American interests.
Source:HANK COHEN’S AFRICA BLOG
matusala December 31, 2015
the eritrean land/sea is for eritreans for ever. no body has a right to negotiate about the Territory of eritreans. The regime may give Assab to Arabs but it is going to be uprooted. And doing this it doesnt mean to fullfill the interest of ethiopia. It depends up on the total policy of our people elected and constitutional government. no body has a right to take a land of other country as a hostage or as a land exchange. AT this time giving asab as a rent to arabs is not wors that occuping Badme by ethiopia. we have brain to to progress our people and country to prosperity. our Problem is the will and devil head of isseyas. but this is for a time being. As we bring our independence with a.miracleos but out any world s assisstance and now we are sure enough we will justify our democracy. But as a foreign policy and as a way of prosperity we eritrean can make bilateral ties either with Saudi or ethiopia .
matusala December 31, 2015
the eritrean land/sea is for eritreans for ever. no body has a right to negotiate about the Territory of eritreans. The regime may give Assab to Arabs but it is going to be uprooted. And doing this it doesnt mean to fullfill the interest of ethiopia. It depends up on the total policy of our people elected and constitutional government. no body has a right to take a land of other country as a hostage or as a land of exchange. At this time giving asab as a rent to arabs is not wors than occuping Badme by ethiopia. we have brain to progress our people and country to prosperity. our Problem is the ill and devil head of isseyas. but this is for a time being. As we bring our independence with a.miracleos but with out any world s assisstance and now we are sure enough we will justify our democracy. But as a foreign policy and as a way of prosperity we eritrean can make bilateral ties either with Saudi or ethiopia .
realistic man December 31, 2015
Dearest matusala ,
An agreement is an agreement ,if Eritrean government has rented the ports for 50 years ,it is an agreement that the country made..point to note is Weyane/Ethiopian government had the obligation to pay Russia the money that was borrowed for arms to hunt the Weyanes down ,while they were tegadelti.
Please consult international laws before spewing ¨facts¨ about internaational issues.
Che December 31, 2015
“Who controls the Red Sea?” It is an interesting question.
Those who do not control their destiny, languages, identity and their own history can not control their natural or geographic resources. This is the reason become refugees and servants of others everywhere.
belo kefiuwo kelo January 1, 2016
the intire problem is that we have no an elected government that respects and guarantee the needs and interest of the country of eritrea and its people.
Nsane January 2, 2016
I wonder how selfish US is; they don’t care on who are footing they only care about future interest – superiority on power in thin world. Our Devil leader is proving our hypothesis that he need to destroy Eritrea. I heard that Djibouti is rented for 90 years to France( If it is true) Ethiopians stop praying for their Djibouti return instead they concentrate to annex Eritrean ports.
Same will happen to Assab 50 years we will not see as ours; we don’t know what will do Arabs may be they will re-rent to Ethiopia. Genzeb tselaeika trekbo b fetawika zbhal kemzi eyu.
Mr. Cohen’s idea might be US plan. At last not only Eritrea all neighboring countries will lost their boundary and may start again Colonialism of US & China over Africa…… mewedaeita zeyblu gedel natu kemzelena kirdeana alo
This alarm is for the whole Africa not only for Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Kidane January 2, 2016
Who is Mr. Cohen.
It is nice of Mr. Cohen to talk about Eritrean and Ethiopian peace.But it is an insult to the people of both countries for lacking people of good understanding. Both countries have highly educated intellectual people. Unfortunately, these knowledgeable individuals are intellectually dishonest. Nevertheless, who is Mr. Cohen and what is he thinking.He is American of course. It is natural for for Any American to talk about American interest. But, I feel he is talking about Eritrean and Ethiopian peace and American interest, but he thinking about Israel’s interest more than any of the countries he is talking about.
Adulis January 2, 2016
Here we go again. The “divide and rule” old British police is being suggested to be used again in East Africa. What does it mean “Arabs are coming to take from you your dinner”?what does it mean ” that Arabs will introduce the sharia law into your country”? this and the likes of comments are not helpful for the Eritrean people who suffered a lot.
Renting a port doesn’t mean extraditing the country to other country. If I rent you my house, does it mean I sold it to you, or you will own it? No, big NO. It is crystal clear that you will leave by the time your contract is expired. Also, you will use it in accordance to the the statement of the contract. I wonder what is all these blathering about this Port rent.
Che January 2, 2016
Adulis got it wrong writing “If I rent you my house, does it mean I sold it to you, or you will own it? No, big NO.”
A Wahhabi Arab, or any Arab for that matter, will first “rent” your land, then he will “marry” your sister as his 7th wife, add more concubines, force them to abandon their identity, languages and tradition because he considers you “savage” or inferior race. Next he will enslave you, sell you and burn your languages, then you don’t exist anymore, and you will be erased from history books.
To a savage Arab, every house is his house, and his values, languages and customs are superior.
AHMED SALEH !!! January 2, 2016
Some commentators seem irritated to loose Wayne dream in Asseb port.
Do not worry Eritreans dealt with foreigners in the past and they know how to handle it . But the mistrust between two government will not
solve the friction easily . Most negative sentiments we observe come from some hateful corrupted minds of WEYANE & HGDF goons .
AHMED SALEH !!! January 2, 2016
For forty years Ethiopians tried to change our identity and culture .
Eritreans are not stupid to trust strangers .
Adulis January 3, 2016
ALMI has wily-nily left Eritrea after it finished its task on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. ALMI members didn’t say that they would not leave Eritrea or they are Eritreans simply because they got impregnated your sister. The same thing goes for Arabs. They will leave after their contract is over even if, as you have said, they get impregnated your sisters again. the fact remains, Eritrea will be the only beneficiary from the leasing of the port that was left dysfunctional for more than 15 years because of the the woyane minds like you.
Genet-orginal January 3, 2016
Adulis
I thought you were Eritrean. I see you aren’t, well your comment is void of any importance to Eritrean people.
AHMED SALEH !!! January 2, 2016
Frankly speaking we Eritreans let wicked elements to betray our
brothers and sisters who paid their life dearly and play cards of regional and religious based theory at the expense of the principle
of their sacrifices .
Our common enemies will not stop tactics of Division to bring our
people down delusional on nationalism issues but thanks for Eritrean
revolution legacy we will not let them fool us again including those
suspected intruders who look and speak like Eritreans .
Anti HEGDEF January 3, 2016
This is a continuation of the article I wrote a couple of days ago…
Mr. Cohen, who has armed the Arabs who are bombing Yemen from Assab? Whose bomber planes, whose missiles and ammunition are they using? Yes, all is from the USA. If the USA has not sold the bomber plane to the Arabs, then the Arabs would not have needed the airport in Assab. You have armed them up to their teeth and now you are crying foul play. The USA didn’t sell them toys.
Our memory is still fresh when your bomber planes sold to Ethiopia where bombing and uprooting us and you might have been one of the architectures to this atrocities, who knows. So please don’t mess in our affairs once more.
When the butcher in Asmara is gone and his HEGDEF dismantled, then the government chosen by the Eritrean people will take care the Eritrean affairs, be it towards Ethiopia, towards our Arab neighbors and towards the rest of the world.
Genet-orginal January 3, 2016
My question to Mr Cohen is where was he the past 16 years where Eritrean people have been suffering under the a dictator who has been empowered by the method of NO WAR and NO PEACE?
What Exactly is his concern at this time? It can’t be about Eritrea or Ethiopia. He is an elderly man nearing the sunset. What is humanity to him? How come, we never heard of him when 360 people were killed in a few hours in the sea? How about the 39 men now we know were Eritrean killed in a broad day light, by so called ISIS in orange jumpsuit at a sea side? MR Cohen, how come all the sophisticated satellites could not see them? Mr Cohen, those “ISIS” were in bright orange jumpsuits. Now, your suggestion of Eritrean and Ethiopian need to negotiate about the Eritrean ports or the Eritrean territorial red sea is preposterous. You didn’t push for the border demarcation, which Ethiopia is holding it hostage. The consequence has been grave for us Eritrean. Mr Cohen, we are human, we are not white, but we are human. You do work and do business with Arab countries for years. Now how come you are telling us now the Arabs are not good people to do business with? You can’t have it both ways.