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DATE=4/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248110
TITLE=ERITREAN REACT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ERITREA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES HAS DISMISSED 
ETHIOPIA'S LATEST OFFER OF A CEASE-FIRE AND A TROOP WITHDRAWAL 
FROM THE DISPUTED AREA ALONG THE TWO COUNTRIES' BORDERS.  CAROL 
PINEAU REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.
TEXT:  THE CEASE-FIRE OFFER BY ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER MELES 
ZENAWI, DISCLOSED IN A V-O-A INTERVIEW (WEDNESDAY) IN ADDIS 
ABABA, APPEARS TO SOFTEN ETHIOPIA'S POSITION ON THE DISPUTE WITH 
ERITREA.
ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA BOTH HAVE ACCEPTED A PROPOSAL BY THE 
ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY TO ARBITRATE THEIR TERRITORIAL 
DISPUTE.  UNTIL NOW, ETHIOPIAN OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN SAYING THEY 
WOULD  NOT  AGREE TO A CEASE-FIRE UNTIL ALL ERITREAN TROOPS LEAVE
THE DISPUTED TERRITORY.  NOW, PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS ETHIOPIA 
IS WILLING TO STOP FIGHTING AS SOON AS ERITREA COMMITS ITSELF TO 
A SCHEDULE OF TROOP WITHDRAWALS.
HOWEVER, ERITREA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, SEMERE 
RUSSOM, SAYS THIS DOES  NOT  ADDRESS HIS COUNTRY'S PRIME 
OBJECTIVE -- THE WITHDRAWAL OF ETHIOPIAN AS WELL AS ERITREAN 
TROOPS.  HE IS DISMISSING PRIME MINISTER MELES'S COMMENTS AS A 
PUBLIC RELATIONS PLOY.
                    /// FIRST SEMERE ACT ///
 WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID AS REPORTED BY V-O-A IS THE SAME 
PRECONDITION IN A NEW COVER.  THEREFORE INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND 
THE BUSH [NOT SPEAKING DIRECTLY], WHY DOESN'T THE ETHIOPIAN 
GOVERNMENT STOP THE WAR, IMPLEMENT A CEASE-FIRE AND SIT ON THE 
TABLE [BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS] TO IMPLEMENT THE 
O-A-U FRAMEWORK FOR PEACE AGREEMENT.  IT WAS TALKING LOUDLY FOR 
10 MONTHS ABOUT ITS ACCEPTANCE OF THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT, AND 
NOW IT IS TRYING TO RUN AWAY FROM IT.
                         /// END ACT ///
AMBASSADOR SEMERE SAYS HIS COUNTRY IS COMMITTED TO PEACE.  HE 
SAYS ETHIOPIA IS WRONG TO TRY TO ADD MORE CONDITIONS TO THE O-A-U
FRAMEWORK.
                  /// OPT SECOND SEMERE ACT ///
 THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A CEASE-FIRE FROM AN ETHIOPIAN PRIME 
MINISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT CAN BE TAKEN AS GOOD NEWS.  BUT 
THE CONDITION THAT IS PUT BEFORE IT BECOMES AN OBSTACLE TO ITS 
IMPLEMENTATION.  WHY PUT A PRE-CONDITION BEFORE THE O-A-U 
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT?
                /// END ACT ///   /// END OPT ///
SOME 300-THOUSAND ETHIOPIAN AND ERITREAN TROOPS FACE EACH OTHER 
ACROSS THEIR ONE-THOUSAND-KILOMETER-LONG BORDER IN WHAT MILITARY 
EXPERTS SAY COULD BECOME AFRICA'S MOST DEADLY BORDER CONFLICT.   
(SIGNED)
NEB/CP/WTW
14-Apr-99 8:37 PM EDT (0037 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.