[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2004]


Officials Deny Border Fight Between Ethiopia, Eritrea

The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa)
NEWS
December 31, 2004
Posted to the web January 1, 2005

By Dagnachew Teklu
Addis Ababa
-
United Nations (UN) officials denied on Thursday new border fight between
Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The officials told The Daily Monitor that the UN mission in the area, which is
patrolling the two countries ceasefire didn't find and didn't observe new
fighting between the two countries.
It was reported over the week that Eritrean troops have killed and wounded
several Ethiopian inhabitants of Hadish Adi near Badme area.
However, UN officials who The Daily Monitor talked to said that the mission
didn't get any reliable facts on the reported issue.
"We heard the news from the media over the week. But the mission didn't find
and receive any report regarding the incidents as it was reported."
The two countries should seek peaceful means to end their differences on any
issue that they may have," the officials said.
The reported attack on Hadish Adi, which was a scene of fierce fighting during
the 1999 war between the two countries and was retaken by Ethiopia, is the
first major attack since the two countries signed a peace agreement in Algiers
in June 2000.
"It is usual to hear such reports and accusation by the two countries.
Sometimes, these countries are exchanging war of words that will lead some
media's to aggravate the matter. You media people have the responsibility to
play your part in making peace between the two parties," they added.
The officials also indicated that the UN mission didn't receive any report
either by Ethiopia and Eritrea on the reported incidents.
The officials however indicated that troop's movements at the front line of the
two countries have been observed during the last few days.
Military convoys and troops were seen by the two sides, said the UN officials.
Asked if the troop's movement will take the two countries to another round of
war, the officials said, "It is difficult to say that they are going for war.
Sometimes, the two countries move their troops from one side to other places
for their own purpose."
They said that the UN mission in the two countries is capable to monitor the
ceasefire, which the two countries signed in June 2000 after 70,000 people died
by the border dispute.
Recently, Eritrea has warned Ethiopia to pull out its troops from all areas in
accordance with the April 13, 2003 ruling by a Boundary commission in The
Hague.
But Ethiopia still demands Eritrea to sit for dialogue over the implementation
of the Boundary decision, which awarded Badme to Eritrea.
A five point peace initiative and a normalization program Prime Minister Meles
Zenawi proposed three weeks ago as a gesture of reconciliation with Eritrea has
been repeatedly rejected by Eritrea.
Eritrea also refused any dialogue with Ethiopia saying "No talk before physical
border demarcation."

   

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