Eritrea says falsely accused over Somalia

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Eritrea's U.N. Ambassador said his country has been falsely accused of supplying arms to Islamist militants intent on toppling Somalia's new government, according to a letter released on Friday.

"I wish to put on record my government's strong opposition to, and categorical rejection of, the unsubstantiated accusations leveled against my country," Eritrean Ambassador Araya Desta wrote in a letter to the U.N. Security Council, dated May 20.

Somalia has accused Eritrea of supporting al Shabaab insurgents with planeloads of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons.

The Security Council said in a statement on May 15 it was concerned about reports that Eritrea has supplied arms to those opposing the government of Somalia.

Eritrea has repeatedly rejected the accusations.

Eritrea is "appalled by the unwarranted decision of the Security Council to accuse a member state on the basis of "reports," Desta wrote in his letter to the council.