30 January 2008
Expressing its deep concern over the ongoing dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Security Council voted today for a six-month extension of the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission monitoring the 2000 ceasefire that ended the border war between the two countries.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council called on the two sides to "show maximum restraint and refrain from any threat or use of force against each other, avoid provocative military activities and put an end to the exchange of hostile statements."
The 15-member body also emphasized that "Eritrea and Ethiopia bear the primary responsibility for achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the border dispute and normalizing their relations."
Despite a final and binding decision being handed down in 2002 by the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), the Horn of Africa neighbours have been at an impasse on the demarcation of their boundary with a military build-up in the border areas by both sides.
Today's resolution called on Eritrea to withdraw all troops and heavy military equipment from the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) immediately and urged Ethiopia to decrease its military forces in areas adjacent to the TSZ.
The Council also expressed its concern over the critical fuel levels which are impeding UNMEE's work, and demanded that the Eritrean Government "resumes immediately fuel shipments to UNMEE or allows UNMEE to import fuel without restrictions."
Last week, Azouz Ennifar, the mission's acting head, told journalists after briefing the Security Council that UNMEE has not been able to obtain fresh supplies of fuel in Eritrea since the start of last December.
"These restrictions are paralyzing the mission and its movements and making the living conditions of our civilian and military staff on the ground extremely difficult," he said.
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Talk is cheap. What's the point of talking when one can NOT even implement the very agreement, resolution and decisions you have talked about, agreed upon and signed, just 5 years ago? Action speaks louder than words. Before further talking and "critical dialog", Jimmy Carter, Condeleza Rice, Jenday Frazer and Ethiopia need to prove that they respect agreements, resolutions, decisions, international laws and order. So far they have not and therefore lost credibility.
What's there to talk about, when Ethiopia is holding the border demarcation hostage, demanding "dialog" after the Independent Commission decided it's resolution five years ago and Ethiopia refused to honor the very "final and bonding" agreement, Ethiopia agreed, approved and signed to honor?
Remember, Ethiopia violated the UN Federal resolution 390a/v of 1950, annexing Eritrea, causing 30 years Ethio-Eritrean war. Again and again, why is Ethiopia allowed to violate international agreements and international legal border decision with impunity? Where are those who shed crocodile tears for "global security and world order" now? ERITREA REFUSES TO BE EXPENDABLE TO UN CONSPIRACY OR US FOREIGN POLICY. THEREFORE, AGAINST ALL MORTAL ODDS, ERITREAN LIBERTY WILL PREVAIL.
Talk is cheap. Action speaks louder than words. What's the point of talking when one can NOT even implement the very agreement, resolution and decisions one has talked about, agreed upon and signed, just 5 years ago? Before the UN, US and Ethiopia complicated the already bloody on slaughter with sinister self-serving political agendas and motivations, the UN, US and Ethiopia need to prove that they respect and honor international agreements, resolutions, decisions, law and order. So far, none has proved to be credible. Therefore, what's there to talk about, when Ethiopia is holding the border demarcation hostage, demanding "dialog" after the Independent Commission decided it's resolution five years ago and Ethiopia refused to honor the very "final and bonding" agreement, Ethiopia agreed, approved and signed to honor?
Remember, Ethiopia violated the UN Federal resolution 390a/v of 1950, annexing Eritrea, causing 30 years Ethio-Eritrean war. Again and again, why is Ethiopia allowed to violate international agreements and international legal border decision with impunity? Where are those who shed crocodile tears for "global security and world order" now? ERITREA REFUSES TO BE EXPENDABLE TO UN CONSPIRACY OR US FOREIGN POLICY. THEREFORE, AGAINST ALL MORTAL ODDS, ERITREAN LIBERTY WILL PREVAIL.