DATE=5/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ETHIOPIA - ERITREA (S-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-262795
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Ethiopia says it has recaptured the key border
town of Zalambessa, destroying what it says is an
Eritrean army on the verge of collapse. As VOA's Scott
Stearns reports, Eritrea says it withdrew from the
disputed area as part of a new move toward peace.
TEXT: Ethiopia says it took Zalambessa overnight in
an air and ground offensive the government says
"annihilated" Eritrean units there. Zalambessa was the
biggest Ethiopian town still held by Eritreans since
this war began two years ago.
Eritrea says it started withdrawing from those areas
Wednesday following an appeal from the Organization of
African Unity. Eritrea says it was a voluntary retreat
in the interest of peace and not because of Ethiopian
military gains.
After capturing more than 100 kilometers of western
Eritrea last week, Ethiopia began fighting on the
war's central front two days ago. Now they say the
Eritrean army there is on the run and Ethiopian units
are in pursuit.
If Eritrean units pull back to their pre-war border,
Ethiopia has said it will stop its offensive and
withdraw from territories occupied over the last two
weeks. (SIGNED)
NEB/SS/GE/PLM
25-May-2000 06:24 AM EDT (25-May-2000 1024 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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