Eritrean guerrillas seek talks as fears of Cuban drive grow

Press, 11 April 1978, Page 9

Eritrean guerrillas seek talks as fears of Cuban drive grow

NZPA-Reuter

Beirut

1 he Eritrean guerrilla chief, Ahmed Nasser, has offered peace talks to the military rulers of Ethiopia, where thousands of battle-hardened Cubans are reported to be preparing for war in Eritrea.

In an interview, Mr Nasser, head of the Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolution-ary Council, expressed readiness to discuss a negotiated end to the 17-year Eritrean war of independence. With an estimated 12,000 fully-trained guerrillas, the E.L.F.-R.C. is one of the two major groups fighting for the independence from Ethiopia of the strategic Red Sea province. Mr Nasser’s organisation and the rival Eritrean People’s Liberation Front have agreed to join forces. “War is costly.” Mr Nasser said. “It means killing, people. It means destruction.! It means economic dis-! ruption. A peaceful solution! would be in the interests of I both Ethiopia and Eritrea. ( We are prepared to discuss it.” |

Mr Nasser said he believed there were trends in favour of granting Eritrea self-determination inside the ruling Ethiopian Military Council (Dergue). But he made clear that the Eritreans were prepared to fight |

if Ethiopia decided on all- 1 out war. “Now is the time to fulfil I the national aspirations of the Eritrean people through a peaceful solution,” he said. “But if they (the Ethiopians) opt for a violent solution, they will find they cannot crush the Eritrean revolution.” There are mounting indications that Ethiopia’s Leftist rulers, with military support from Cuba and political backing from the Russians, plan a large-scale offensive against the Eritrean liberation movements. A spokesman for the E.P.L.F. said in Rome on I Friday that his groan be- ( lieved Ethiopia and its (Cuban allies were about to ( launch a three-pronged attack aimed at regaining conItrol of Eritrea.