DATE=4/19/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43160
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA / O-A-U
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=ADDIS ABABA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ETHIOPIA'S PRIME MINISTER SAYS ERITREA IS NOT SERIOUS
ABOUT REGIONAL EFFORTS TO END THE BORDER WAR BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES. BUT AS V-O-A EAST AFRICA CORRESPONDENT SCOTT STEARNS
REPORTS, ERITREA SAYS IT IS ETHIOPIA THAT IS DELAYING THE DEAL.
TEXT: PRIME MINISTER MELES ZENAWI SAYS ETHIOPIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN
READY TO PUSH AHEAD WITH THE PEACE PLAN. ETHIOPIA ACCEPTED THE
DEAL LAST YEAR. ERITREA SIGNED ON LAST MONTH FOLLOWING
BATTLEFIELD LOSES AROUND THE BORDER TOWN OF BADAME.
NOW THAT HE HAS ACCEPTED THE DEAL, ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAYAS
AFEWORKI SAYS IT IS TIME THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY
(O-A-U) NEGOTIATES A CEASEFIRE. PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS
PRESIDENT ISAYAS IS TRYING TO FOOL THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
INTO BELIEVING HE IS A PEACE-MAKER WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS
ERITREA ACCEPTED THE O-A-U PACKAGE ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE BEATEN.
/// MELES ACT ONE ///
HE DIDN'T ACCEPT THE O-A-U PACKAGE. THE O-A-U PACKAGE
ENVISONS ERITREA WITHDRAWING FROM BADAME VOLUNTARILY.
ISAYAS ACCEPTED THE PACKAGE 48 HOURS AFTER HE WAS PUSHED
OUT OF BADAME INVOLUNTARILY. HE DID NOT WITHDRAW FROM
BADAME. HE FLED FROM BADAME.
/// END ACT ///
THE O-A-U PLAN CALLS ON BOTH COUNTRIES TO PULL BACK THEIR TROOPS,
WITH INTERNATIONAL MONITORS CONTROLLING DISPUTED AREAS WHILE A
BORDER COMMISSION DRAWS UP A NEW MAP.
PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS IF ERITREA IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE PLAN,
PRESIDENT ISAYAS SHOULD AGREE TO PULL HIS TROOPS OUT OF ALL AREAS
ADMINISTERED BY ETHIOPIA BEFORE FIGHTING BEGAN LAST MAY.
THE O-A-U HAS FAILED TO CLARIFY WHETHER ITS PLAN CALLS FOR THE
WITHDRAWAL OF ALL ERITREAN TROOPS, OR JUST THOSE AROUND BADAME.
PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS IT IS CLEAR TO HIM THAT THE SPIRIT OF
THE AGREEMENT IS NOT BEING MET AS LONG AS ERITREA CONTINUES TO
OCCUPY ETHIOPIAN TERRITORY.
/// MELES ACT TWO ///
THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF THE AGREEMENT IS THAT A
COUNTRY THAT INVADES AND OCCUPIES HIS NEIGHBOR'S
TERRITORY IS WRONG, AND A RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO ANTE
IS NECESSARY FOR IT TO BE RESOLVED PEACEFULLY. THAT IS
AN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
/// END ACT ///
PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS THERE CAN BE A CEASEFIRE BEFORE ERITREA
WITHDRAWS AS LONG AS PRESIDENT ISAYAS PROMISES TO DO SO ON A SET
TIMETABLE.
PRESIDENT ISAYAS SAYS HE IS ALREADY COMPLYING WITH THE O-A-U
PLAN, HAVING PULLED BACK HIS TROOPS FROM BADAME IN WHAT HE CALLS
A "STRATEGIC RETREAT." THE PRESIDENT SAYS IT IS JUST COINCIDENCE
THAT HE ACCEPTED THE DEAL DAYS AFTER FIGHTING AT BADAME. HE SAYS
HE WAS WAITING FOR THE O-A-U TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN.
PRESIDENT ISAYAS SAYS IT IS ETHIOPIA THAT IS DELAYING THE DEAL
BECAUSE HE BELIEVES CASUALTIES ON THE CENTRAL TSORONA FRONT AND
IN FIGHTING AROUND BADAME HAS MADE ETHIOPIA'S T-P-L-F LEADERSHIP
DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT.
/// ISAYAS ACT ONE ///
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FRAMEWORK IS A BITTER PILL FOR
THE T-P-L-F TO ACCEPT AT THIS MOMENT. THEY HAVE LOST
MORE THAN 100 TANKS, THE BEST OF THEIR TANKS. THEY HAVE
LOST THE BEST OF THEIR CREWS. THE MONEY SPENT ON THE
AMMUNITION THAT WAS PURCHASED IS TOO MUCH. IT IS BEYOND
ANYONE'S IMAGINATION. THE STRESS, THE FINANCIAL STRESS,
THE ECONOMIC STRESS ON THE GOVERNMENT IS TREMENDOUS.
/// END ACT ///
PRESIDENT ISAYAS SAYS HE HAS NO INTEREST IN DELAYING THE O-A-U
PLAN BECAUSE HE SAYS IT IS ETHIOPIA THAT HAS BROUGHT ON THIS
BORDER WAR AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE ERITREAN PEOPLE.
/// ISAYAS ACT TWO ///
THEY THINK THEY HAVE A BORDER PROBLEM. WE CAN SOLVE THIS
BORDER PROBLEM WITHOUT GOING INTO ANY LONG-TERM
FIGHTING. WE DON'T HAVE AN INTEREST TO FIGHT THEM, SO IT
IS NOT A MATTER OF WINNING OR NOT WINNING TO US.
/// END ACT ///
PRESIDENT ISAYAS SAYS ETHIOPIA IS TRYING TO ANNEX PARTS OF
ERITREAN TERRITORY BY PUSHING NORTHWEST INTO THE BADAME PLAIN.
PRIME MINISTER MELES SAYS IT IS ETHIOPIA THAT IS UNDER THREAT
FROM AN ERITREAN GOVERNMENT THAT REFUSED TO NEGOTIATE RIVAL
BORDER CLAIMS, INSTEAD LAUNCHING WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER CALLS A
SURPRISE ATTACK ON A FORMER ALLY.
/// MELES ACT THIRD ///
I AM STILL SURPRISED BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS NO NEED
TO FIGHT. THERE WAS NO NEED TO FIGHT ON THE BORDER
ISSUE. WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THE CASE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. WE ALL AGREE THAT THE
COLONIAL BOUNDARIES ARE SACROSANCT. WE SEEM TO ALL
AGREE THAT A BINDING INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION IS THE
WAY FORWARD, SO THE BORDER ISSUE WAS NOT DESTINED TO
LEAD TO WAR.
/// END ACT ///
NOW THAT IT HAS LED TO WAR, BOTH SIDES ARE BLAMING THE OTHER FOR
CONTINUING THE FIGHT WITH MORE THAN 300-THOUSAND MEN ALONG THE
ROCKY BORDER, MOST DUG-IN AT THE WESTERN FRONT AROUND BADAME.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SKS/JWH
19-Apr-99 7:51 AM EDT (1151 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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