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CU: Ethiopian ambassador to UN Mohamed Hamid Ibarahim facing journalists
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CU: Ambassador speaking "Right from the inception..."
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He made the comments when speaking to newsmen at UN Headquarters on Monday (12 September).



IBARAHIM: "Right from the inception, from the birth of Somali nation Somalia has laid claim on parts of Ethiopia. Eastern Ethiopia, on what is, we hope, soon to be a member of the United Nations - Djiboti and parts of Kenya. Somali government has made it a cardinal policy of their government to dismember Ethiopia. As indicated in their constitution, they've already made it plain to the world, in their national emblems, and in maps. We've tried our best to solve this difficulty peacefully with them. Actually when Somalia was a Trusteeship territory of United Nations, its boundaries under Article...(INDISTINCT) of Trusteeship Agreement, its boundaries are defined and those defined by international treaties. And these treaties are the 1897 treaty and the 1908 treaty."




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Background: Ethiopa's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohamed Hamid Ibarahim, has appealed to the big powers not to provide weapons to any party involved in fighting with his country. Ethiopia and neighbouring Somalia have been engaged in a war for more than six weeks over the disputed Ogaden region, and broke off diplomatic relations last week. Mr. Ibarahim said Somalia had designs on Ethiopian territory, and that was the real cause of the fighting. But his country was determined to resolve the conflict peacefully.