DATE=2/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245836
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MORE FIGHTING IS REPORTED IN THE BORDER WAR BETWEEN
ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA. V-O-A'S EAST AFRICA CORRESPONDENT SCOTT
STEARNS REPORTS THIS LATEST ROUND OF COMBAT IS NOW ENTERING ITS
THIRD WEEK.
TEXT: GROUND FORCES OPENED FIRE BEFORE DAWN TUESDAY NEAR THE
DISPUTED BORDER TOWN OF BADAME. HEAVY FIGHTING IS REPORTED ON
BOTH SIDES ALONG THIS FRONT LESS THAN 150 KILOMETERS FROM THE
ERITREAN CAPITAL, ASMARA.
ERITREAN TROOPS CAPTURED BADAME LAST MAY. ETHIOPIA HAS BEEN
TRYING TO GET IT BACK IN THIS LATEST ROUND OF FIGHTING, MOVING
NORTH FROM TRENCHES OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE OF AYAY INTO THE GEZA
GERLASSIE PLAIN, BUT SO FAR FAILING TO GAIN THE HIGH GROUND
AROUND BADAME ITSELF.
ERITREA IS ACCUSING ETHIOPIA OF VIOLATING AN AIR EMBARGO IN THE
CONFLICT BY USING AIRCRAFT TO BOMB ERITREAN POSITIONS AROUND
BADAME. ETHIOPIA SAYS ERITREA VIOLATED THE EMBARGO FIRST BY
BOMBING THE TOWN OF ADIGRAT EARLIER THIS MONTH.
FIGHTING HAS SPREAD TO THREE OTHER FRONTS IN THIS WAR WITH COMBAT
100 KILOMETERS EAST OF BADAME ON THE TSORONA FRONT, SHELLING AT
THE BORDER TOWN OF ZALLAMBESA, AND ETHIOPIAN BOMBING RUNS ON THE
ERITREAN PORT OF ASAB.
ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN SELOME TADESSE SAYS THE RAIDS
HAVE DAMAGED THE RUNWAY IN ASAB AND KNOCKED-OUT A KEY WATER
FACILITY. SHE SAYS FIGHTING WILL CONTINUE TO ESCALATE AS LONG AS
ERITREAN TROOPS HOLD ETHIOPIAN TERRITORY.
REGIONAL MEDIATORS ARE PUSHING AN ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY
PLAN TO ARBITRATE THE BORDER DISPUTE. 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.
ANOTHER O-A-U DELEGATION WAS SCHEDULED TO VISIT THE ERITREAN
CAPITAL TUESDAY. SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO PROGRESS TOWARD A
CEASEFIRE AS BOTH SIDES SEEM DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SKS/JWH
23-Feb-99 6:24 AM EST (1124 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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