Addis Ababa, March 11, 2021 (Walta) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen welcomed to his office the Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Evgeny Terekhin to discuss issues of mutual concern.
During their discussion, Deupty Demeke hailed the fruitful meeting he had had with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and thanked the government of Russia for standing steadfast by Ethiopia during the recently held UN Security Council meeting.
Briefing the Ambassador on the current situations in Tigray, Mr. Demeke recalled the unimpeded access granted to humanitarians and the media, including the joint investigation launched to probe into the alleged atrocities committed in the region.
Despite all the positive developments in the region, smear campaigns from some corners against facts on the ground and disregarding the genuine efforts of government did not subside, he added.
Speaking about the investigations on alleged atrocities committed in Tigray, Mr. Demeke reiterated Ethiopia’s stance that was reflected in the recently delivered statement of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the African Union Peace and Security Council on the Current Situation in Northern Ethiopia.
In this regard, he said, Ethiopia has expressed its will to openly engage the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in undertaking investigations jointly with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, adding that the government has also signaled its willingness to collaborate with relevant UN agencies for these investigations.
Ambassador Evgeny Terekhin, on his part, highlighted the importance of scaling up relations between the two sisterly countries by applying provisions of signed agreements and expediting the signing up of delayed ones.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ethiopia, the meeting between the two sides concluded with Mr. Demeke’s appreciation of the longstanding and fraternal relationship that exists between the two countries which need to be scaled up with various engagements.