DATE=10/4/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA WAR
NUMBER=5-44405
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Diplomats trying to end the border war between
Ethiopia and Eritrea have spent most of their time
trying to convince Eritrea to accept a regional peace
plan. The conflict is no closer to being over, but as
V-O-A's Scott Stearns reports, it now appears to be
Ethiopia that is blocking the deal.
TEXT: Following battlefield losses earlier this year,
Eritrea finally agreed to an Organization of African
Unity (O-A-U) plan to end the 16 month old conflict.
There was hope that international monitors might soon
take up positions in disputed territories with a new
border commission under United Nations supervision.
Today, more than 300-thousand troops remain dug in
along the rocky border. There has been no move to
lower tensions and both sides continue to train and
reinforce positions.
With Eritrea's acceptance of the O-A-U plan, it is now
Ethiopia that is questioning details of the agreement.
Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry last month said it could
not sign-on to the latest deal because there were
still questions about redeployment of troops and who
would control areas previously administered by
Ethiopia.
Ethiopia has long demanded a return to pre-war borders
as what it calls an "incontestable condition" for any
plan, maintaining that Eritrea started the war and
should thus not he rewarded by continuing to hold
Ethiopian territory.
Eritrean presidential advisor Yermane Gebremeskel says
the only thing that is different about this O-A-U plan
is that Ethiopia can no longer use Eritrea's
position as an excuse to keep fighting. If the
international community is serious about peace in the
Horn of Africa, Mr. Yermane says it should pressure
Ethiopia to accept the plan.
/// FIRST YERMANE ACT ///
Pressure must he put on Ethiopia because now it
is very clear. Ethiopia has been playing on
Eritrea's positions before. When the framework
agreement was first submitted, we sought for
clarifications. Ethiopia did not accept them in
reality, but it tried to exploit Eritrea's
caution as rejection.
/// END ACT ///
Ethiopia criticized Eritrea's refusal to sign earlier
deals, saying it was evidence that Eritrea had no
interest in a peaceful settlement. Now that it is
Ethiopia with questions, Ethiopian officials sound
much like their Eritrean counterparts did then -
firmly committed to the process, but concerned about
the details.
The Ethiopian government's Selome Tadesse says
Ethiopia is seeking clarifications on the O-A-U plan
because it does not want Eritrea to manipulate what
she calls certain "loopholes."
/// FIRST SELOME ACT ///
The reason we have asked for these
clarifications is because we honestly believe
there should be no loopholes. Experience has
taught us that if you leave loopholes, Eritrea
has a tendency of manipulating that.
/// END ACT ///
Early in the war, Eritrea delayed negotiations by
asking the O-A-U to determine which border towns were
in what country when fighting started. That has led
to a debate on what constitutes disputed territory in
this conflict -- something crucial to the withdrawal
of troops and deployment of international monitors.
Because the latest plan outlines exactly how those
arrangements will be made, Ethiopia's Selome says it
is more complicated than earlier proposals Ethiopia
accepted.
/// SECOND SELOME ACT ///
What makes them different is the technical
arrangements how you implement it, which are
the most important. The previous documents are
to agree to end this peacefully, which we didn't
have a problem with then. We don't have a
problem today.
/// END ACT ///
Eritrean presidential advisor Yermane says Ethiopians
can not have it both ways -- they either sign-on to
the plan or explain why they are blocking it. He says
it is time Ethiopia stop vilifying Eritrea and
concentrate more on reaching a settlement.
/// SECOND YERMANE ACT ///
It has been campaigning internationally saying
that Eritrea is not interested in peace. Now I
think the genie is out of the bottle. Everybody
knows that Eritrea has accepted, is seriously
committed to peace. Eritrea has accepted all
three O-A-U documents. It is Ethiopia which is
stalling the peace process. So I think Ethiopia
must be told, either it has to accept the peace
process or reject it openly. Then people would
know who is for peace and who is obstructing
peace.
/// END ACT ///
Ethiopia says it is still working with the O-A-U to
come up with an acceptable arrangement. Officials say
that must include the return of Ethiopian
administration -- something diplomats had hoped to
finesse by having disputed areas under international
control while experts draw up a new map. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE
04-Oct-1999 12:07 PM EDT (04-Oct-1999 1607 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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