Eritrea blames Somalia's neighbours for violence

By Jeremy Clarke

ASMARA (Reuters) - Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said on Wednesday that years of interference by neighbouring countries had fuelled the violence in Somalia.

He blamed Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti for having fanned the conflict in the chaotic Horn of Africa nation.

"These neighbouring countries are part of the problem, they are not a part of the solution," Isaias told Reuters in an interview.

The former Marxist guerrilla rejected suggestions that a solution to the violence -- which has killed 18,000 since the start of 2007 -- could be imposed on the divided nation.

"For the parties who are a part of the problem to come with the solution is unthinkable. The experience of the last 20 years is proof to that," Isaias said.

"It is not an option to impose a government from outside in Mogadishu and declare that government to be a government of all Somalia. You cannot impose a peacekeeping force in one city and say there is a government."

Isaias said the involvement of the United States was complicating the peace process because it had become preoccupied with hunting terrorist suspects.

"The United States (and others) getting involved in Somalia because of what they call terrorism is a problem. In Somalia it is distorting the facts on the ground and probably fuelling undesired external intervention from neighbouring countries."