The Eritrean National Assembly has continued its three-day closed-door meeting with discussions about a report that former government officials had committed treason.

This is the first time the Assembly is meeting since September 2000. The lawmakers are discussing the arrest in September of 11 prominent dissidents who criticized the government, including some former officials.

The assembly, which began meeting Tuesday in the capital, Asmara, is also discussing relations with Ethiopia in the wake of a two-year border war between the two Horn of Africa countries.

Eritrea has accused Ethiopia of refusing to withdraw its troops from the country as agreed under a peace accord signed in December 2000.

The Assembly, chaired by Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki, is also expected to discuss a law that allows political parties and an electoral code as well as the status of the media in the run-up to legislative polls. Eritrea's private press had been suspended for the past four months.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.

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