Lee consoles late Zenawi’s wife

Meles Zenawi

President Lee Myung-bak expressed his deep condolences over the death of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in a handwritten letter delivered to his grieving wife Azeb Mesfin through Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan.

The foreign minister attended the late leader’s funeral Sunday (local time) to console the bereaved family.

Meles, who ruled the county for 21 years, passed away on Aug. 20 after a long illness at a foreign hospital.

President Lee had maintained good relations with Meles while he was alive.

“Prime Minister Meles was an extraordinary, passionate leader who made unceasing efforts for the sake of the future of Ethiopia and Africa as a whole. Since Ethiopia was democratized in 1991, he has demonstrated outstanding leadership and helped the country to achieve political stability and economic development,“ he said in a statement. “He also worked hard to foster human resources through education and to eradicate poverty and diseases.”

“Korea will continue to honor all the promises it has made to Ethiopia and stand by its people.” he added.

Lee met Meles on eight different occasions from 2008 including at the G20 Seoul Summit.

Cheong Wa Dae said Lee could not make time to conduct a condolence visit in person because of urgent domestic issues, including damage incurred after Typhoon Bolaven, which pounded the country last week.

Hailemariam Desalegn, deputy prime minister, has been currently serving as acting prime minister, following Meles’s death. <The Korea Times/Jun Ji-hye>

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