DATE=3/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246743
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ERITREA SAYS IT HAS CRUSHED AN ETHIOPIAN OFFENSIVE ON THE
CENTRAL FRONT OF THEIR BORDER WAR. AS VOA'S SCOTT STEARNS
REPORTS FROM OUR EAST AFRICA BUREAU, ETHIOPIA SAYS THE BATTLE IS
NOT OVER YET.
TEXT: ERITREA SAYS ETHIOPIA HAS SUFFERED ITS HEAVIEST LOSSES OF
THE WAR IN THREE DAYS OF FIGHTING ON THE TSORONA FRONT, 120
KILOMETERS SOUTH OF THE ERITREAN CAPITAL, ASMARA.
ERITREA SAYS IT BEAT BACK REPEATED ATTACKS BY MORE THAN
40-THOUSAND ETHIOPIAN TROOPS WHO FELL LIKE LEAVES IN WHAT A
FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT CALLS A "SLAUGHTER." ERITREA SAYS
ETHIOPIA FORCED CIVILIANS TO CARRY AMMUNITION TO THE FRONT, USING
THEM, IN ITS WORDS, AS CANNON FODDER.
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS ERITREA SHOT DOWN A MIG-23 FIGHTER JET
AND DESTROYED 57 ETHIOPIAN TANKS, CAPTURING SIX OTHERS. IT SAYS
DEFENSE FORCES COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF HUMAN
CASUALTIES BECAUSE OF "THE SHEER SCOPE OF DAMAGE TO THE ETHIOPIAN
GROUND FORCES."
ACCOUNTS FROM THE ERITREAN SIDE OF THE TSORONA FRONT REPORT
HUNDREDS OF CORPSES AND AT LEAST 20 DESTROYED TANKS.
ETHIOPIA'S GOVERNMENT SPOKESWOMAN SAYS THOSE REPORTS ARE PART OF
A STAGED DRAMA TO BOOST ERITREAN MORALE. ERITREA'S NEWS AGENCY
SAYS THE CARNAGE IS VERY REAL AND ETHIOPIA SHOULD NOT TRY AND
INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY BY
PRETENDING IT IS A RUSE.
ETHIOPIA DENIES IT HAS LOST THE BATTLE ON THE TSORONA FRONT,
SAYING FIGHTING IS CONTINUING WEDNESDAY WITH ETHIOPIAN TANKS AND
HEAVY ARTILLERY IN ACTION AGAINST ERITREAN POSITIONS AROUND THE
BORDER TOWN OF ZALAMBESA. ERITREA SAYS THERE HAS BEEN NO
FIGHTING SINCE TUESDAY MORNING.
BOTH SIDES HAVE ACCEPTED A REGIONAL PLAN TO ARBITRATE THE BORDER
DISPUTE. ERITREA SAYS ETHIOPIA IS TRYING TO GO BACK ON THAT DEAL
BY CONTINUING THE FIGHT AND INTRODUCING NEW PRECONDITIONS TO
TORPEDO THE PEACE PROCESS.
ERITREA SAYS IT IS READY TO PULL BACK ITS FORCES AT THE SAME TIME
AS ETHIOPIA IN KEEPING WITH THE "ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY"
PLAN. THAT DEAL CALLS ON BOTH SIDES TO DEMILITARIZE THE BORDER
AHEAD OF AN INTERNATIONAL MONITORING FORCE FOR DISPUTED AREAS AND
A COMMISSION TO DECIDE THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE BORDER WITHIN
SIX MONTHS.
//REST OPT// ETHIOPIA SAYS IT IS ERITREA THAT IS BLOCKING O-A-U
MEDIATION BY REFUSING TO WITHDRAW FROM TERRITORIES ADMINISTERED
BY ETHIOPIA BEFORE FIGHTING BEGAN LAST MAY.
BOTH SIDES ARE TRYING TO USE THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE PLAN TO
SCORE DIPLOMATIC POINTS AGAINST THE OTHER. U-N SECRETARY GENERAL
KOFI ANNAN IS ASKING THE O-A-U TO CLARIFY THE SPECIFICS OF THE
DEAL TO ELIMINATE VARYING INTERPRETATIONS THAT BOTH ETHIOPIA AND
ERITREA ARE USING TO STALL THE PEACE PROCESS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SKS/PCF
17-Mar-99 5:48 AM EST (1048 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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