"...So we think it's time really for all parties to act responsibly, especially the opposition parties,..."
Daily Press Briefing
Sean McCormack, Spokesman
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC
May 11, 2006
QUESTION BY Endale Getahun, ECTV
QUESTION Endale, ECTV: Thank you. Can we go back to the Horn of Africa on Ethiopia?
MR. MCCORMACK: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION Endale, ECTV: As you know, deputy assistants secretary of State Donald Yamamoto traveled to Ethiopia numerous times and they trying to help the Ethiopian Government on political situation last week. This week, the Prime Minister just nominated a new cabinet for his administration ...
MR. MCCORMACK: Right.
QUESTION Endale, ECTV: And are you happy about that or are you --
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I think that my understanding is that he did nominate a cabinet of technocrats to take over the administration of the Addis Ababa area. Their ability to carry through and actually administer has been severely hampered by some political disagreements, some especially on the part of the opposition party not -- you know, boycotting the vote in the parliament that would allow them to move forward and actually do their work.
So what we would expect is that the -- all the political parties in Ethiopia really begin to work together and pull together for the sake of the Ethiopian people. The people who are really disadvantaged by the inability of the government to really follow through and provide services and provide competent administration is the Ethiopian people. So we think it's time really for all parties to act responsibly, especially the opposition parties, pull together and allow some form of competent administration to take its seat and to actually start working on behalf of the Ethiopian people.
QUESTION Endale, ECTV: But right now opposition refuse to take their seat and -- which is a year from now. But their government introduced a new administration. That's -- do you think that's acceptable on your ...?
MR. MCCORMACK: You know, it's not our job to referee political disputes and provide specific solutions in Ethiopia. But what we will do is call upon people to abide by the constitution, abide by the laws, express any differences that they may have in a peaceful manner to seek political accommodation which is what you do in a representative democracy. And most fundamentally to start working on behalf of the Ethiopian people. That's why they got elected.
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