Addis Ababa Ethiopian TV (in Amharic) — 0620 GMT, 19 Mar. 2009

[Presenter] Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has declined to give detailed report on the number of Ethiopian casualties during the country’s military presence in Somalia.

Speaking while answering questions from MPs in parliament on 19 March, the premier said that Ethiopia was “forced” to deploy its troops in Somalia to foil a “conspiracy” jointly hatched against Ethiopia by Eritrea, and what he termed “anti-peace Ethiopian forces and Somali fundamentalists”.

On casualties, Zenawi said:

“…regarding the details on those killed or wounded in Somalia, I think the House does not need to know about how many were killed or wounded in every military confrontation. I also think that I do not have an obligation to present such report.”

According to the premier, the Ethiopian army achieved what he termed “great victory”, adding:

“…the Eritrean government has reached a stage where it cannot launch an invasion against Ethiopia even if it wanted to do so… The Somali fundamentalists were also badly weakened.”

Zenawi said the majority of members of the Somali Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) have disassociated themselves from “terrorist groups” and joined what he termed the peace camp. He said that the former UIC leader, current President Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad, who at one time declared jihad against Ethiopia, had:

“…disassociated himself from the terrorist group and expressed his willingness to work with the friendly and peace-loving Ethiopia.”