Addis Abeba — The question of whether Prime Minister Meles Zenawi would continue to assume his position as Prime Minister of Africa's second most populated country may be what every one wants to know as the country approaches next general elections.

But that has remained to be a conundrum, prompting more curiosity among his followers, and opponents alike.

In a number of interviews with local and foreign media, Meles has spoken about the matter -only in a rather obscure way, giving way to more suspicions and speculation. His reticence about the matter has put people in darkness as far his fate as Prime Minister and EPRDF, as ruling party, is concerned.

That was what was in the minds of most journalists attending the press conference with Meles on Monday: Is he going to be? or not to be? the next Prime Minister? But that question appears to take for granted, the fact that Meles can be, if he wants to be, the next Premiere-And it is so. Forget the upcoming election.

So, did the journalists put the inevitable question to the Premiere on Monday? and did he provide an answer to that? While the answer to the first question is yes, the answer to the second was no.

All he said about it, when he was asked about it, was that his party had not yet deliberated on that and no decision had been made.

Every time he was asked that question, he would say: It is up to "my party"-the ruling EPRDF-to decide on such matters. Only time will tell.

Moving on to other matters, Meles responded promptly to questions on a range of issues- from the now-controversial Gilgel Gibe-III hydropower project, government measures on coffee exporters, food security, Ethiopia's use of maritime services via the port of Djibouti, tax collection system, and of course the up-coming election.

Meles said there was no environmental hazard that comes from Ethiopia's Gilgel Gebe hydroelectric project in whatsoever way, rejecting speculations from local and Western critics.

There has been a lot of talk and speculation over the matter in recent times, particularly after a BBC journalist who went to the site for a documentary on the project painted a gloomy picture about the 1.8- billion-USD project, raising questions over the rationale of the project altogether.

The BBC sdocumentary, apart from criticizing the project over the hazardous consequence to the natural environment, speculated tribal clashes among the inhabitants.

Speaking to reporters at his office on Monday, Meles refuted all that was said about the project which he said was underway following a proper study and a well laid down plans.

Ethiopia's electricity generation strategy was totally environmentally friendly viewed from the point of view of Ethiopia and the horn of African perspective," he told the press conference.

"Ethiopia has huge potential to generate electricity from renewable sources. We have been investing a lot to generate not only for our domestic consumption but also for export to neighboring countries...." Ethiopia has a power exchange deal with Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti.

"This is because we expect to export electricity from renewable source to the countries which do not have the resource such as Kenya, Djibouti and Sudan." On yet another matter, Meles said his government would carry out impeachment against six of large coffee exporters accused of hoarding, in the face of foreign currency crunch prevailing in the country.

"I would not be surprised if some of them were to be taken to court," Meles said. Coffee is Ethiopia's largest export, accounting for 35 percent of the country's export earnings last year. According to Meles, the 88 exporters wouldn't face prosecution "whatever shortcomings they have had" in the past and that he expected they would learn from the crackdown on the other six exporters.

Meles was also speaking his private discussion he had with US African-American President Barack Obama. But, according to him; their discussion was centered on African issues rather than Ethiopia.