DATE=2/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245490
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA FIGHTING (L)(CQ)
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=ADDIS ABABA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE LATEST ROUND OF FIGHTING IN THE BORDER WAR BETWEEN
ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA HAS KILLED AT LEAST 12 CIVILIANS (SINCE
WEDNESDAY), ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM THE FRONT LINES. IN ADDIS
ABABA, V-O-A'S SCOTT STEARNS REPORTS THE TWO SIDES EXCHANGED
ARTILLERY FIRE EARLY FRIDAY ACROSS THEIR ROCKY BORDER.
TEXT: ETHIOPIA SAYS IT WAS A NIGHT OF HEAVY SHELLING AROUND THE
ERITREAN-HELD BORDER TOWN OF ZALAMBESA.
ETHIOPIA SAYS ERITREAN FIELD GUNS OPENED-FIRE ON ETHIOPIAN
POSITIONS IN THE HILLS SOUTH OF TOWN. IT SAYS ETHIOPIAN
ARTILLERY RESPONDED, POUNDING ERITREAN TRENCHES IN THE VALLEY
BELOW.
THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES ON THE ETHIOPIAN SIDE.
ERITREA SAYS 12 CIVILIANS WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 20 WOUNDED IN
ZALAMBESA.
THE SHELLING OPENS A THIRD FRONT IN THIS LATEST-ROUND OF
FIGHTING. OVER THE PAST WEEK, MOST OF THE COMBAT HAS BEEN
CONFINED TO THE HILLS AROUND THE ERITREAN-HELD TOWN OF BADAME AND
100 KILOMETERS FARTHER EAST ON THE TSORONA FRONT.
FIGHTING CONTINUES IN BOTH THOSE AREAS, ALTHOUGH CONSIDERABLY
LESS THAN A WEEK AGO.
ETHIOPIA SAYS IT HAS NOW COMPLETED THE FIRST PHASE OF WHAT IT
CALLS ITS COUNTER-OFFENSIVE, REGAINING GROUND IT SAYS IS
ESSENTIAL FOR UPCOMING MISSIONS. ETHIOPIA CLAIMS CONTROL OF A
KEY MILITARY POST AT GEZA GERLASE NEAR BADAME AND THE VILLAGES OF
KONIN AND KONITO ON THE TSORONA FRONT.
THOSE AREAS WERE CAPTURED BY ERITREAN TROOPS WHEN THE WAR BEGAN
LAST MAY. AFTER GIVING REGIONAL PEACE EFFORTS A TRY, ETHIOPIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER SEYOUM MESFIN SAYS THE TIME HAS COME TO RESTORE
ETHIOPIAN CONTROL OVER ETHIOPIAN TERRITORY.
/// SEYOUM ACT ///
THE ETHIOPIAN ARMY IS SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUING TO OCCUPY
MORE GROUND ON THE GROUND. FIGHTING IS CONTINUING. I
HAVE NO DOUBT THAT VICTORY ULTIMATELY WILL BE THAT OF
THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE AND THE ETHIOPIAN ARMY.
/// END ACT ///
THERE WILL NOT BE A MILITARY VICTORY, ACCORDING TO DIPLOMATS;
BOTH SIDES ARE TOO EVENLY MATCHED TO ELIMINATE THE OTHER. NO
MATTER HOW LONG THE FIGHTING CONTINUES, DIPLOMATS SAY ETHIOPIA
AND ERITREA MUST EVENTUALLY RETURN TO TALK OF ARBITRATION.
THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY HAS COME UP WITH A PLAN TO
SETTLE THE BORDER DISPUTES. ETHIOPIA HAS ACCEPTED. ERITREA HAS
RAISED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN, BUT HAS NOT YET GIVEN ITS
FINAL RESPONSE.
ERITREA WANTS INTERNATIONAL MONITORS IN DISPUTED AREAS BEFORE
WITHDRAWING ITS FORCES. ETHIOPIA WANTS THOSE TROOPS OUT AND
LOCAL ETHIOPIAN AUTHORITY RESTORED BEFORE ANY FORMAL PEACE TALKS.
O-A-U SECRETARY GENERAL SALIM AHMED SALIM IS TRYING TO NEGOTIATE
A CEASEFIRE. SO FAR, BOTH SIDES LOOK SET TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT.
MILITARY OBSERVERS SAY A UNITED NATIONS ARMS EMBARGO WILL HAVE
LITTLE IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON TWO ARMIES WHO HAVE SPENT THE PAST
EIGHT MONTHS REINFORCING POSITIONS ALONG THEIR 800-KILOMETER
BORDER WITH ARMS BOUGHT FROM RUSSIA, BULGARIA, AND THE UKRAINE.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SKS/JWH/KL
12-Feb-99 8:58 PM EST (0158 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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