Mr. ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Eritrea. [105498]
§ Mr. RammellThe bilateral relationship with Eritrea is good. We opened an Embassy in Asmara in March 2002. We have played an active role in pushing forward the Ethiopia/Eritrea peace process during the last few years. My noble Friend the Baroness Amos met the Eritrean Ambassador most recently on 19 March to discuss progress on the peace process and to raise concerns about the constitutional problems in Eritrea. We do have concerns about the human rights situation there which we raise regularly with the Eritrean government. We are also concerned at the humanitarian situation and have contributed £2 million for relief purposes since January 2003.