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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

ERITREA-ETHIOPIA: Meles vows not to go to war

ADDIS ABABA, 16 October 2003 (IRIN) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi remained defiant on Thursday in the face of mounting international pressure to abide by the ruling on the border with neighbouring Eritrea.

Speaking at the opening of the Ethiopian parliament, he described the independent Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) which ruled on the border dispute with Eritrea as “null and void”.

He said implementation of the contested border ruling would only escalate already heightened tensions between the neighbouring countries.

"The problem is worsening ... and it could erupt at any time in a different form," he warned.

The EEBC issued its ruling on the 1,000 km border in April 2002, but Ethiopia is angry over the awarding of disputed territory - including the town of Badme where the border conflict flared up - to Eritrea.

During his hour-long speech, Meles vowed that Ethiopia would never resort to war to resolve the simmering border dispute.

“We have reiterated time and again that Ethiopia will under no circumstances incite conflict or fire a single bullet at Eritrea or any other country for that matter,” the prime minister said.

“This is an absolutely irrevocable and unflinching position,” he added. "It is unthinkable for this country to go to war, especially as long as this government is in power, unless the country is attacked and no other means can be found."

“We want this unrelenting position of ours to be recognised by friend and foe,” he said.

The prime minister repeated earlier calls for dialogue to help resolve the impasse over the border ruling and again urged the international community to help ensure a “peaceful resolution” to the crisis.

"Our fight is against poverty and backwardness, not with Eritrea," he said. "However we know we cannot achieve peace simply by aspiring for it. We can only achieve peace when can get rid of the issues which affect peace."

The prime minister also laid out key strategies for the government in the coming year. He said boosting skilled manpower in the country would be a primary focus.

Meles also pledged to continue the fight against terrorism in the country, deal with corruption and tackle the ongoing drought.

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

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