Amanpour and Company

IT REALLY IS SHOCKING BUT IN A WAY IT'S NOT SURPRISING. WE HAVE SEEN IN EARLIER REPORTS NOT ONLY FROM CNN BUT FROM NGOs, FROM CIVIL SOCIETY OF THE TOLL THAT THIS CONFLICT HAS TAKEN. THE ORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SUFFERING. THE UNCONSCIONABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FAMINE OR ON THE VERGE OF FAMINE. IT'S HORRIFIC, BUT I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S NOT SURPRISING. THIS SUN FIS UNFORTUNATELY -- W STILL HAVE TOTAL WAR GOING ON. >> THE FRUSTRATION CONTINUES AS WE HAVE THE U.N. COUNCIL MEETING RIGHT NOW JUST TO TRY TO DELEGATE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THESE TYPES OF REPORTS. THE U.S. HAS NOW ON THE HEELS OF SOME OF THE REPORTS SAID THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD PERHAPS WITH ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS. THAT WAS REPORTED FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LAST MONTH. LET ME GET YOUR RESPONSE. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE VIS-A-VIS THIS TRADE DEAL THAT BENEFITS THE ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES IF, IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END AND CONDUCTING SOME ILLEGAL ACTIONS? >> CERTAINLY, ETHIOPIA'S ECONOMY HAS BENEFITTED OVER THE YEARS FROM ITS INCLUSION IN THE CONCESSION TRADE THAT THE U.S. ALLOWED TO MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHO QUALIFY. THOSE PLANES ARE PURCHASED OFTEN WITH EXPORT CREDITS, WITH OTHER GUARANTEES THAT DON'T NEED TO AWAIT A REVIEW. I THINK ANOTHER STEP ONE COULD LOOK AT AND CERTAINLY BOEING MIGHT NOT LIKE THIS, BUT CERTAINLY LOOK AT THE FINANCING FOR PURCHASES OR ORDERS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE FOR ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, IF THAT'S WHAT THESE PLANES ARE BEING USED FOR. THAT'S CERTAINLY, I THINK, FAIR GAME AND SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. I HOPE THE ADMINISTRATION DOES LOOK AT IT. >> AS WE SAW IN THE REPORT, ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES IS A MEMBER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS STAR ALLIANCE AND KATHERINE TI SAID ONGOING VIOLATIONS COULD AFFECT ETHIOPIA'S FUTURE ELIGIBILITY WITH THIS TRADE AGREEMENT. DO YOU THINK THIS JUST ADDS TO THE PRESSURE OF HER ACTUALLY ACTING ON THAT? >> IT CERTAINLY ADDS TO THE PRESSURE. LAST MONTH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WHICH CREATES THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR SANCTIONS UPON ANY PARTY, WHETHER THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION, THE IRREGULAR MILITIA FROM OTHER PARTS OF ETHIOPIA.