DATE=5/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ERITREA-ETHIOPIA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262426
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=ASMARA, ERITREA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Eritrea says its forces are inflicting heavy
casualties on Ethiopia despite having lost territory
during the last five days of heavy fighting between
the two countries. Carol Pineau reports from Asmara
about the situation on the Eritrean side.
TEXT: Eritrea has confirmed that Ethiopian troops
have moved into Eritrean territory, but officials say
Addis Ababa's claims of taking huge amounts of land
and cutting off the main supply road are exaggerated.
Officials in Asmara appeared surprisingly calm,
describing the situation as fluid, with neither army
having fixed positions. They say Ethiopia is obsessed
with gaining territory, but that for Eritrea, daily
military shifts in position have no significance on
the final outcome.
Eritrea claims to be inflicting increasingly heavy
casualties on the Ethiopian army. Authorities say the
armed forces have brought down two Ethiopian planes,
and destroyed a helicopter gunship and 16 tanks. On
Sunday, Eritrean officials claimed 25-thousand
Ethiopian casualties in the first two days of
fighting. There have been no specific figures since
then.
While Ethiopia appears to be concentrating on taking
the main southern town of Barentu, 40 kilometers from
the border, Eritrea says Barentu is secure, though
there have been unconfirmed reports of two bombs
hitting the town.
Eritrea says its air defense units are preventing
Ethiopia from penetrating Eritrean airspace at will,
but officials admit it is possible a few fighter jets
have been able to get through.
The government says there have been no organized
evacuations of civilians, but aid workers say two
camps for displaced civilians have been moved and many
people may have left Barentu as the sound of artillery
moved closer.
The government relief agency has taken precautionary
measures, such as stocking up on food and other
supplies.
The United Nations Security Council is to vote
Wednesday on two proposed resolutions concerning the
two countries. While Russia and China are calling for
continued mediation with no punitive measures, the
United States is calling for an arms embargo on the
two warring nations and diplomatic sanctions against
Ethiopia.
Eritrea says it is disappointed that the United
Nations has not already reached a consensus. It says
the United Nations would be correct in imposing
diplomatic sanctions on Ethiopia, but that an arms
embargo against Eritrea would be unfair. Eritrea says
Ethiopia started this latest round of fighting and
that the United Nations must protect Eritrea's right
of self-defense. (Signed)
NEB/CP/LTD-T/
16-May-2000 16:57 PM EDT (16-May-2000 2057 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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