The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
10 November 2007
Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has played down Eritrea's claim for the fourth time in two weeks that its larger neighbor was about to invade it.
Information Minister Berhan Hailu told Reuters yesterday: "It should always be clear that Ethiopia does not have any reason or ambition to invade Eritrea other than protecting its sovereignty and peace."
Berhan however added that Eritrea's encroachment of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) will render it responsible for whatever problems that will arise.
"If at all there existed anything new and any military movements around the Eritrea-Ethiopian border, it will be only the Eritrean government which shall be the cause of the problem and which shall take full responsibility," he said.
A number of observers, including the UN Secretary-General, have been expressing their fear that the two countries might once again resort to hostilities to resolve a five year stalemate that has delayed the demarcation of their disputed border.
Unable to break the deadlock, the Eritrea and Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) has in September said that it will mark the border on map and will leave the actual demarcation to be carried out by the two countries.
Indicating that it "can not remain in existence indefinitely," the EEBC gave the two countries until end of November to "seek to reach an agreement on the emplacement of the pillars."
Now that the November deadline has only about 21 to go, and an increased movement within the TSZ and troop build up has raised concerns.
UN chief Ban Ki Moon told the Security Council on Wednesday that since early in September, Eritrea had deployed over 5,000 troops within the 25 km buffer zone, which, according to the Algiers agreement, was to be a demilitarized zone.
About 1,700 UN peacekeepers who were supposed to monitor the 25 km TSZ within Eritrea's territory remain incapacitated as Eritrea has maintained its restriction on their movement and helicopter flights.
"The continued military build-up in the border area is a cause of serious concern, which has already resulted in shooting incidents that underscore the risk of further miscalculation," Ki-Moon told the Security Council, calling on both countries to show maximum restraints.
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