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U.N. Security Council calls for end to Ethiopia conflict

06 November 2021 04:51 (UTC +04:00)

The U.N. Security Council on Friday called for an end to the fighting in Ethiopia and for talks on a lasting ceasefire as the 15-member body expressed deep concern in a rare statement about the expansion and intensification of military clashes, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The council also "called for refraining from inflammatory hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness."

It had been negotiating a statement for several days and eventually reached a compromise with Russia on the text, diplomats said. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus.

Russia and China have long made clear they believe the year-long conflict, which started in the northern region of Tigray, is an internal affair for Ethiopia. Both countries are council veto-powers - along with the United States, Britain and France - so any strong council action, like sanctions, is unlikely.