THE UNITED STATES SENT ITS MOST EXPLICIT WARNING YET TO HORN OF AFRICA FOES ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA ON SATURDAY TO STAY OUT OF THE ESCALATING CRISIS IN SOMALIA WHERE THEY ARE BELIEVED TO BE BACKING RIVAL SIDES, REUTERS REPORTED. "THERE ARE MANY FOREIGN ELEMENTS IN SOMALIA RIGHT NOW," U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS JENDAYI FRAZER SAID, CITING REPORTS ETHIOPIA WAS SENDING TROOPS TO BACK THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT AND ERITREA ARMS FOR RIVAL ISLAMISTS. "NEITHER THE UNION OF ISLAMIC COURTS NOR THE TRANSITIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE THE HIGH GROUND BY SAYING THE OTHER IS VIOLATING SOMALI SOVEREIGNTY...THEY'VE ALL INVITED IN FOREIGNERS, ALL BEEN BACKED BY FOREIGN FORCES," SHE ADDED. FRAZER, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON A VISIT TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO TO MONITOR ELECTIONS THERE, SAID IT WAS CRUCIAL TO STOP SOMALIA BECOMING A REGIONAL CRISIS. "YOU WANT TO KEEP ETHIOPIANS AND ERITREANS OUT OF SOMALIA, THAT THEY DON'T TAKE THEIR BORDER CONFLICT AND MOVE IT INTO THE SOMALIA VENUE," SHE SAID.
