ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Security
Council extends UNMEE mandate
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United
Nations]
NAIROBI, 14 Sep 2005 (IRIN) - The UN Security Council extended the
mandate of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) on Tuesday
until 15 March 2006, but expressed concern over the high concentration
of troops from both parties near the border, over which the countries
fought a two-year war.
According to the resolution, the Council "calls upon Ethiopia to
accept fully the decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission
and to enable, without preconditions, the Commission to demarcate the
border completely and promptly."
Efforts by the international community to resolve the border dispute
between the two countries since the end of a bloody war in 2000 have
so far been fruitless.
Under the terms of the 2000 Algiers Peace Agreement that ended the fighting,
both sides agreed to accept as binding a ruling by an independent boundary
commission on where the border should be.
After initially rejecting the commission’s decision, Ethiopia
in November 2004 accepted the ruling "in principle", but called
for dialogue on its implementation in disputed areas of the shared 1,000
km border.
Eritrea, on the other hand, rejected the idea of dialogue and insisted
on full implementation of the commission's decision beforehand.
The Council appealed to the two Horn of Africa countries to avoid any
action that might escalate tension and urged them to give serious consideration
to returning to the 16 December 2004 levels of deployment. It also asked
them to refrain from any threat of use of force against each other.
The Security Council also approved the "reconfiguration"
of UNMEE's military component, including an increase in the number of
military observers by 10.
The UNMEE has about 3,000 peacekeepers patrolling the border, an area
known as the Temporary Security Zone.
The Council urged both parties to cooperate fully and expeditiously
with UNMEE, to ensure the security of all staff, and to unconditionally
remove all restrictions and impediments to the work and full and free
movement of UNMEE and its staff.
Eritrea was strongly urged to remove restrictions on UNMEE military
police in Asmara, the capital, and to take immediate steps, in consultation
with the mission, towards implementing the direct UN flights between
Addis Ababa and Asmara. The Council also urged Eritrea to reopen the
Asmara-to-Barentu road to UNMEE traffic.
The Council noted the improved climate of cooperation between the mission
and both parties.
It expressed concern over the ongoing food shortages in the countries
and their potential to cause greater instability. UN member states were
urged to continue to provide support for humanitarian and development
activities. The Council also advised Eritrea to lift all restrictions
imposed on the operations of aid organisations.
[ENDS]