LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Eritrea
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When the British withdrew, the fate of Eritrea was left in the balance. It was known that the British favored partition- the north and west of Eritrea to Sudan, the rest to Ethiopia, which suited Haile Selassie. After initial presentations on the possible future of Eritrea, in 1949 the UN established a Commission of Inquiry with the task of finding out what Eritreans wanted for their own future. For a number of reasons countries represented on the Commission could not agree on decision to recommendations. The eventual decision to federate Eritrea with Ethiopia in 1950 reflected the strategic interests of Western powers, particularly the United States. The US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, put his succinctly in 1952.
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Prior to Italian colonization in 1885, what is now Eritrea had been ruled by the various local or international powers that successively dominated the Red Sea region. In 1896, the Italians used Eritrea as a springboard for their disastrous attempt to conquer Ethiopia. Eritrea was placed under British military administration after the Italian surrender in World War II. In 1952, a UN resolution federating Eritrea with Ethiopia went into effect. The resolution ignored Eritrean pleas for independence but guaranteed Eritreans some democratic rights and a measure of autonomy. Almost immediately after the federation went into effect... these rights began to be abridged or violated.
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Eritrea's population comprises nine ethnic groups, most of which speak Semitic or Cushitic languages. The Tigrinya and Tigre make up four-fifths of the population and speak different, but related and somewhat mutually intelligible, Semitic languages. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional beliefs live in lowland regions. Tigrinya and Arabic are the most frequently used languages for commercial and official transactions. In urban areas, English is widely spoken and is the language used for secondary and university education.
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The oldest written reference to the territory now known as Eritrea is the chronicled expedition launched to the fabled Punt (or Ta Netjeru, meaning land of the Gods) by the Ancient Egyptians in the twenty-fifth century BC under Pharaoh Sahure. Later sources from the Pharaoh Hatshepsut in the fifteenth century BC present a more detailed portrayal of an expedition in search of incense. The geographical location of the missions to Punt is described as roughly corresponding to the southern west coast of the Red Sea.
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The main port serving Eritrea, Massawa (Massaua) became an urban center in ancient times. It is the largest natural deep water port on the Red Sea. Massawa is divided into three parts: Batse, Tualud, and the mainland. The island Batse comprises the ancient historical center with interesting houses, hotels, squares and religious buildings. and is a marvelous place to wander about.
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The year 2002 began with good prospects for postwar recovery and normalization of Eritrea's regional and international relations. Strained relations with the European Commission were patched up, allowing the disbursement during the year of some €25 million (about $25 million).
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Eritrea