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PAN DOWN EXTERIOR of Hotel
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2.
CU Press photographers and newsmen (2 shots)
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3.
CU Mr. Alzein Yassin speaking
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TRANSCRIPT: YASSIN: "The meetings were dominated by a genuine spirit of responsibility, objectivity and an ardent will to overcome the passive aftermath of the past five years. Both sides explained their viewpoint of the current situation of the Eritrean revolution, the socio-political changes enhanced both in Erithrea and Ethiopia by the military takeover, and the general international situation. Meanwhile, and in order to confront the fascist regime in Addis Ababa which is brutally repressing our people, bombing and burning our villages, which raising pseudo-revolutionary slogans of Ethiopian Socialism and progress to minimise international support to our cause, we ask all friendly countries and organisations that support our revolution to multiply their material and moral aids, adept a clear supporting political stand and expose the fascist reality of the Ethiopian regime. Also we call on all international humanitarian organisations to extend their help to our suffering people. We urge our people to get rallied behind their revolution, support it with whatever they can, and struggle for the achievement of the national unity."



After a series of meetings, the rival wings of the Eritrean Liberation Front held a news conference in Beirut on Thursday and announced their decision to unite. Mr. Alzein spoke:




Initials BB/2030 MC/DE/BB/2045


This film includes an extract from the statement by RC ELF member Mr. Alzein Yassin, about the meetings of the two wings. A transcript follows:

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The rival wings of the Eritrean liberation front agreed to work in close co-operation, uniting all their efforts "to accomplish the urgent tasks of the revolution in the coming stage" in a joint statement issued on Thursday, (14 August).

In 1970, the Revolutionary Council of the Eritrean Liberation Front (RC ELF) and the Peoples Liberation Forces (PLF ELF) of the Front split after personality differences divided the two factions.

Thursday's statement said that at meetings leading up to the re-unification, both sides had explained their view point on the current situation of the Eritrean revolution, and they had been practically identical. Both sides, it said, had agreed on the necessity of having a unified Democratic Front in Eritrea with one leadership and one army.