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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Peace "unravelling", says Eritrea's ruling party

NAIROBI, 5 March 2003 (IRIN) - Eritrea's ruling party has warned that peace with Ethiopia is "unravelling" and accused Addis Ababa of "sabotaging" implementation of an independent border ruling.

A commentary, posted on the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) Shaebia website, said it had become "starkly clear" that Ethiopia had refused to accept the April 2002 border decision, issued by the independent Boundary Commission, based in The Hague.

Under the terms of the December 2000 peace accord, following their two-year border war, Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed to accept the ruling as "final and binding".

"Ethiopia has not only rejected in practice the boundary decision, it is wilfully and systematically sabotaging its implementation," the Shaebia commentary said.

It warned the international community that "appeasing" Ethiopia "can only undermine peace".

"Even as it hopes that international action will stop the unravelling of the peace, Eritrea owes it to its people to temper its restraint with vigilance," Shaebia said. "Anything else would be inexcusable."

As demarcation - due to being in May - approaches, both countries have been stepping up their war of words, particularly over the disputed village of Badme where the border conflict flared up. In a recent interview with the BBC, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said there would be "problems" if Badme went to Eritrea.

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict

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