The Eritrean People Liberation Front (EPLF) is actively seeking diplomatic recognition. It also made it clear by preventing the German Ambassador to Ethiopian from visiting Asmara that it wants foreign relations directly and not through embassies in Addis Ababa.

The EPLF has the blessing of President Meles Zenawi who said late in October that foreign countries could deal directly with the Eritrean provisional government.

An EPLF delegation led by its acting minister of foreign affairs and politburo member, Mohammed Sayed Bary, and other EPLF officials recently visited East African countries and Egypt.

Egypt is expected to establish diplomatic relations with the separatist Eritrea soon. Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Omar Moussa, said in September that his government wants the “establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.” An Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, Mohammed Abd al Walid, was in Asmara late October. He announced that Egypt (itself a recipient of aid from the U.S. and Europe) pledged aid to Eritrea. Mr. Walid also announced that Egypt will establish a permanent diplomatic post in Asmara soon.

Other nations in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Libya, Syria and Iran are expected to take the same move, while Israel is firmly committed to a united Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement advising Germans not to travel to Eritrea, saying that the embassy cannot guarantee their consular protection in Eritrea cannot because EPLF is cooperating with embassy officials from Addis Ababa.