DATE=5/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - ETHIOPIA - ERITREA
NUMBER=2-262204
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=ASMARA, ERITREA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Three days of shuttle-diplomacy by a U-N
Security Council delegation has failed to persuade
Ethiopia and Eritrea to resume stalled peace talks
aimed at ending the two-year war. Carol Pineau
reports from Asmara the mission ended Wednesday with
an ominous warning.
TEXT: U-S Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the leader of
the Security Council's special delegation, said before
leaving Eritrea he hopes there is still a chance to
bring the two warring nations to the negotiating
table. But he warned there is serious risk of a deadly
war.
/// FIRST HOLBROOKE ACT ///
We are very close to a resumption of
hostilities, the outbreak of a new round of
fighting, which if it took place would
immediately constitute the largest war on the
(African) continent.
/// END ACT ///
Negotiations to end the two-year war have proved to be
extremely difficult. Eritrea has agreed to a three-
part peace package offered by the Organization of
African Unity. Ethiopia agrees to the first two
parts, but not the third, which is a technical
implementation plan.
Talks in Algers hosted by the O-A-U broke down last
Friday after Ethiopia refused Eritrea's demand to sign
the two previously endorsed documents before
discussing changes in the third document.
Ambassador Holbrooke says the differences between the
two countries are not insurmountable.
/// SECOND HOLBROOKE ACT ///
Most of the issues have been resolved. The
remaining differences are the sort which nations
should and must resolve peacefully. As for the
specifics, they remain in the hands of the two
leaders, in whose hands the fate of millions of
people depends. It would be tragic if a
senseless and unnecessary war broke out over
these differences.
/// END ACT ///
Before heading back to New York, Ambassador Holbrooke
said the United Nations will continue to work on the
problem, in support of the O-A-U.
/// THIRD HOLBROOKE ACT ///
The threat of war has not been removed by our
trip, but perhaps we have offered a way, which
is the additional involvement of the Security
Council to move forward and resume the talks. We
are still in the process of an intense exchange
program between Addis Ababa and Asmara.
/// END ACT ///
Soon after war broke out between the two formerly
friendly neighbors, the United Nations instituted a
voluntary arms embargo against the region. The
Security Council delegation says it may have to
consider further legal sanctions against Ethiopia and
Eritrea. (Signed)
NEB/cp/gm
10-May-2000 17:14 PM EDT (10-May-2000 2114 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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