DATE=6/1/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ETHIOPIA/ERITREA REACT (L)
NUMBER=2-263048
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=ASMARA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Eritrea is refusing to accept Ethiopia's
declaration that the war between the two East African
neighbors is over. Correspondent Nick Simeone in
Asmara reports Eritrea says Ethiopian forces continue
to occupy land along the countries' shared border.
TEXT: Eritrea maintains its forces have already
withdrawn from all disputed border territory. But
since Ethiopia continues to hold significant portions
of Eritrean land, the government here considers
Ethiopia's announcement that the two-year border war
is over to be meaningless.
Spokesman Yemane Ghebremeskel says only when Ethiopian
troops pull out completely can there be talk of a
cease-fire.
/// GHEBREMESKEL ACT ///
We cannot allow a truce to hold when they are
holding sovereign Eritrean territory.
/// END ACT ///
Observers here in Asmara wonder whether Ethiopia will
now be willing to withdraw to its side of the border
as it existed before the war began in May of 1998.
Or, whether it will decide to keep its troops where
they are and use a position of strength to press for
better terms at peace talks now underway in Algiers.
But Eritrea is demanding that mediators -- among them
U-S and European officials -- hold Ethiopia to terms
of an Organization of African Unity peace agreement as
already negotiated.
/// GHEBREMESKEL ACT ///
They are supposed to re-deploy to May 6th
positions. Let them re-deploy, let them
publicly say they are re-deploying immediately
and unconditionally. Let's verify that through
independent observers and then they can talk
about the war (being) over.
/// END ACT ///
Over the past two years, tens of thousands of soldiers
have died in this border war. And two of the world's
poorest countries have seen huge sums of money
diverted at a time when famine is threatening some
nine-million people in both countries. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/JP
01-Jun-2000 09:01 AM EDT (01-Jun-2000 1301 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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