United Nations — The United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea has verified that Ethiopian armed forces have redeployed to the southern boundary of the future temporary security zone (TSZ), but the Mission still cannot declare the buffer area established pending action by Eritrea.

Still, the verification announced today is widely viewed as an important development in the establishment of the prospective zone, a 25-kilometre-wide buffer area separating the two forces.

The verification process by the UN Mission, known by its acronym UNMEE, involved air reconnaissance, vehicle patrols and global positioning satellite measurements across the 900-kilometre long southern boundary.

"I am satisfied with the verification of the southern boundary and can now confirm that the Ethiopian forces are outside the prospective TSZ," said UNMEE Force Commander Major-General Patrick Cammaert.

"The UNMEE peacekeeping force stands ready to carry out its mandate of monitoring the parties' compliance with the security agreements, and enabling civilians to return home." According to UNMEE, the Eritrean Government has meanwhile rearranged substantial numbers of its forces to the northern boundary of the prospective TSZ, but, despite agreement on the 3 March deadline for completing this rearrangement, "a significant concentration of Eritrean troops" remains in the future TSZ.

The Eritrean authorities have informed UNMEE that the decision to halt rearranging their forces is based on their strong objections to adjustments made to the original map of the future TSZ as agreed to at a recent meeting of the Military Coordination Commission. That body brings together the parties under the chairmanship of the UN.

UNMEE is currently attempting to resolve the impasse at the highest levels so that the TSZ can be established, allowing civilians to return to their homes, the Mission said.

"The establishment of the TSZ is a vital step in the peace process," said Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila.

"We want both parties to move ahead with resolve." He stressed that a functioning TSZ "is a matter of critical importance, not only for the affected communities but as a signal to the international community."