Seyoum hopeful on approval of Ethiopia's draft resolution on Axum obelisk return

Addis Ababa, July 5(ENA)-- Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin expresses his firm belief that the Council of Ministers of the OAU would approve the draft resolution tabled by Ethiopia on the return of the Axum Obelisk.

In a remark he made at the ongoing 76th ordinary session of the Council in Durban, South Africa, on Friday Seyoum said Ethiopia thought it appropriate for the OAU to pronounce itself in no ambiguous terms on the matter, which he said is a legacy of Fascism and Colonialism.

Ethiopia decided to bring the issue to the OAU, as it could not be solved at the bilateral level, Foreign Minister Seyoum said.

Seyoum said the return of the Axum obelisk is not an issue of Ethiopia only; it is also an African issue.

He said Ethiopia has been exerting strenuous efforts to reinstate the cultural heritage to its home country," but to no avail".

Despite the various agreements concluded, for reasons best known only to the Italian governments, they have failed to fulfill obligations solemnly assumed, Seyoum said.

He stresses that the Italian government has no technical or rational reason for refusing to comply with the various commitments it made to return the obelisk to Ethiopia.

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