17 August 1999 Secretary Albright Meets With Eritrea's President Isaias (Rubin points to encouraging movement in peace process) (290) By Jane Morse USIA State Department Correspondent Washington - State Department Spokesman James Rubin told reporters at the daily news briefing on August 17 that "there has been encouraging movement on the peace process" between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Rubin made the statement when asked about the closed discussions held earlier in the day at the department between Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki. Rubin reported that the discussions between the two had focused on the status of the Organization of African Unity's peace proposal. "There has been encouraging movement on the peace process" between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Rubin said. Both parties, he said, have now accepted the framework agreement and the modalities for the framework. "Eritrea has also accepted the OAU's technical arrangements for implementation of the agreement," Rubin said. "The next step is for a document to be worked out that both Ethiopia and Eritrea can sign." Eritrea and Ethiopia have been fighting over an unmarked portion of their 600-mile border since May 1998. Speaking to reporters at the National Press Club a day earlier, Isaias said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the chances for peace between his country and Ethiopia. "The prospects for peace appear better than at any time in the past 15 months" since the border dispute erupted into armed conflict, he added. Isaias also characterized the conflict between the two nations as "the most devastating war anywhere in the world." More than half a million soldiers from both countries have been engaged in the dispute, with thousands of casualties on both sides, he noted.
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