Asmara, 2 February 2010 – President Isaias Afwerki today received and held talks with the Japanese Ambassador to Eritrea, Mr. Shigeo Iwatani.

In the meeting at the Denden Hall here in the capital, the two sides conducted discussion on the objective situation in the region and the world at large, as well as Eritrean-Japanese cooperation of partnership and the unjust US sanctions resolutions adopted in the name of the Security Council.

President Isaias expressed the Eritrean government’s desire to further enhance Eritrean-Japanese cooperation. He went on to voice disappointment over the support that Japan, member of the Security Council, gave to the sanctions resolution against Eritrea adopted in the name of the Security Council. And this despite the fact that Eritrea supported Japan’s bid for membership in the Council, he elaborated.

On the Somali issue, the President asserted that the issue should be left to the Somali people to resolve, and that this remains Eritrea’s principled stance.  He also indicated that Eritrea is playing modest role towards promoting peace in Somalia.