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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Addis grants US overflight rights

NAIROBI, 21 March 2003 (IRIN) - Ethiopia says it has given the US overflight and landing rights in the war against Iraq.

Ethiopian television quoted a senior foreign ministry official as saying this was in accordance with requests by the US. He said Ethiopia had no plans to deploy troops.

"The US has been Ethiopia's friend and ally," the official was quoted as saying. He added that there was strong cooperation between the two countries "in fighting international terrorism which is Ethiopia's major national security preoccupation".

Eritrea's foreign ministry meanwhile said it backed the war against Iraq, but was "not involved".

The two Horn of Africa neighbours, which were embroiled in a bitter two-year border war from 1998-2000, are the only African countries so far to join President George W Bush's "coalition of the willing".

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

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