By ANITA POWELL, Associated Press
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s [dictator] said Thursday he is building up the army‘s capabilities because he fears an imminent attack by Eritrea, which he also accused of arming rebel groups inside his country.
“It is deemed necessary to make the necessary military preparations for deterring a possible Eritrean invasion and to repulse such an invasion should it occur,” Meles said.
The Eritrean information minister, Ali Abdu, said his government was not planning to attack Ethiopia.
Meles also warned that Eritrea may try to disrupt or strike during Ethiopian Millennium celebrations in September. Ethiopia is fighting two rebel forces, one in the eastern Ogaden region and the other in the southern Oromia region. The Ogaden National Liberation Front has recently carried out several attacks along the Somali and Eritrean borders.