DATE=6/11/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ETHIOPIA/ERITREA (L)
NUMBER=2-263369
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Regional mediators say Ethiopia has
accepted, in principle, a cease fire plan to end
its border war with Eritrea. As VOA's Scott
Stearns reports, Eritrea has already accepted the
plan but fighting continues.
TEXT: Organization of African Unity mediators say
Ethiopia has agreed to the cease fire plan in
principle, pending a formal endorsement by the
government in Addis Ababa. That government says
it is considering the plan "as a matter of
urgency" and will communicate its decision to the
O-A-U in what it calls "the shortest possible
time."
A statement from Ethiopian Foreign Minister
Seyoum Mesfin called the latest O-A-U proximity
talks in Algeria "useful, constructive, and
successful."
The O-A-U has given both sides a one-week
deadline to respond to the proposal. Eritrea has
already accepted the cease fire plan which calls
on both sides to return to their pre-war borders.
Eritrea has done that over the last month under
military pressure from Ethiopia. Ethiopia's army
continues to hold ground inside Eritrea.
Ethiopia says it wants to withdraw to pre-war
borders but cannot allow certain strategic ground
to fall back into the hands of an Eritrean army
that could again attack Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says that
ground includes Eritrean hills overlooking the
Ethiopian border town of Zalambessa as well as
high ground around the Eritrean town of Tsorona,
among others. The Prime Minister says Ethiopia
must have international guarantees that Eritrea
will not attack again. He wants international
troops to control that strategic ground before
Ethiopia withdraws.
Eritrea says the war will never end until all
Ethiopian troops leave all undisputed Eritrean
territory.
The continuing presence of Ethiopian troops
inside Eritrea has led to more fighting. On the
eastern front near the Red Sea port of Assab
Saturday, Ethiopia says it overran Eritrean
positions used to attack Ethiopian troops along
the border.
On the western front, Ethiopia says it has
launched a counter-attack against what it calls
Eritrean provocation. Ethiopia says Eritreans are
attacking units already voluntarily withdrawing
from those areas in a move that Ethiopia says
shows it does not intend to occupy Eritrea.
Eritrea says it is forcing the Ethiopian
withdrawal in heavy fighting.(SIGNED)
Neb/ss/dw
11-Jun-2000 08:01 AM EDT (11-Jun-2000 1201 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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