Conflict in Tigray: rebels and Ethiopian government respond to US pressure
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (our photo) signed a long open letter to Joe Biden on Sunday, again complaining of being misunderstood and slandered.
Themba Hadebe / AP Photo
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
US President Joe Biden signed a decree on Friday, September 17, authorizing the imposition of sanctions against the belligerents of the conflict in Ethiopia.
Strictly speaking, these are not yet sanctions, but a mechanism allowing them to be triggered in the event of lack of progress on the ground.
On Sunday, the Tigrayan rebellion and the Ethiopian Prime Minister responded to him.
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With regard to Ethiopia, the American patience, according to a senior official, is counted "
in weeks and not in months
".
Washington's goal is, in fact, to quickly obtain, according to the same source, "
significant measures to start talks with a view to a negotiated ceasefire and to allow unhindered humanitarian access
".
Otherwise, the United States says it is ready to take "
aggressive measures
", including sanctions against "
leaders, organizations or entities
", to use the words of the head of diplomacy Anthony Blinken, therefore including all belligerents: federal, Amharas, Eritreans or Tigrayans.
Return to pre-war positions
The first to react were the Tigrayans.
In a statement, rebel leader Debretsion Gebremichael expressed his "
appreciation for the consistent and constructive efforts
" of the Americans.
But obviously, his position has not changed: he repeated his agreement for immediate negotiations, on condition that his adversaries return to their pre-war positions, that is to say in particular before the conquest of certain territories. disputed by his enemies.
Misunderstood and slandered
As for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, he signed a long open letter to Joe Biden on Sunday.
Still complaining of being misunderstood and slandered, and of dealing with "
terrorist
"
forces
, he said Ethiopia "would
not succumb to the consequences of pressure designed by disgruntled individuals
".
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See also: Ethiopia: the conflict in Tigray extends beyond the borders of the province
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Ethiopia
United States
Joe biden
Abiy Ahmed