HR 6600, S3199 Draft Bills Hurt US Interest: Former Diplomat

The Finnish former diplomat, Simo Parviainen said if the US passes HR 6600 and S3199 draft bills, US will also lose its strategic interests in the Horn of Africa.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the Finnish former diplomat, Simo Parviainen noted that as the draft bills target suspension of security cooperation between Ethiopia and US, they would affect not only the interest of Ethiopia but also of the US. 

Parviainen stated that drafters of the bills are unfortunately doing the mistake, hurting the interest of their country (USA) they will lose their interest in the midterm on November, 2022 this year.

The former diplomat also said the USA have been pursuing counter to terrorism interests in Horn of Africa where Ethiopia brings its local knowledge and knowhow; so continuing with the draft bills to suspend this mutual security assistance would result in hurting the US.

According to him,  this [drafting the bills] is a serious policy mistake that the US is doing for Ethiopia since the conflict started,  the proposals that are forward in the US congress don’t recognize the fact on the ground, the real situation in  Ethiopia and what the aggressors (TPLF) is doing to destabilize the Horn of Africa.

He added that the attempt is a kind of imperialism; it is unnecessary intrusion, to the domestic affairs of another state. 

Parviainen further stated that if the draft bills would pass, they will make the American Security institutes  to have been blinder about the Horn of Africa region, leading them to lose the key strategically point of view.

And Ethiopia will shift to other international partners that will counter US geopolitical interest, he added.

The diplomat urged for policy review and change of bills, which he said are harmful policy.

"Unfortunately, TPLF has been brain washing the population in Tigray region for years and years that makes difficult to reverse the conflict in reasonable way. They are actually the one who affects this ceasefire attempted by the government on March 24," he noted.

Parviainen also pointed out the TPLF group continues with violence; meanwhile, they blame that the humanitarian assistance is not getting through but in fact they are the ones who are blocking the assistance coming into their population in which they are engaging in war crimes by using people as hostage using hunger as a weapon.

He said that the draft bills are biased proposals from the western capital, for prolonging the conflict.

The implementation of the draft bills would just prolong the conflict and it does not in any way mention the armed group (TPLF) who are not willing to engage in peaceful politics, he pointed out.  

He further stated: "this is basically the situation biased proposal from the western capital for prolonging the conflict. The implementation of the draft bills would just prolong the conflict and it does not in any way mention the armed group (TPLF) who are not willing to engage in peaceful politics in Ethiopia."

He also stated the bills will run just counter but Ethiopia can gradually manage this crisis through the national dialogue it has initiated.