ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Eritrean government has announced to sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, in response to Ethiopia's decision to close its embassy in Eritrea and declare 10 Eritrean diplomats, including the charge d'affairs and other Eritrean diplomats accredited to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, persona non grata.
In a press release issued on Thursday, Eritrea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that to justify these unwarranted acts of hostility, the Ethiopian government has turned the tables to accuse Eritrea of "direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia".
The press release further accused Ethiopia of hosting, training, and providing arms to an assortment of "Eritrean armed opposition groups" to stoke internal conflict for "regime change" in Eritrea.
Eritrea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that throughout these trying times, Eritrea has displayed patience and restraint in the hope of averting a dangerous escalation.
In the current circumstances, however, Eritrea has no option but to reciprocate in kind and sever all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia, with all the negative corollaries that this entails, according to the ministry. ■