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Eritrea,
Ethiopia: SG Letter to UNSC president, 1 Feb 08
12
February 2008
S/2008/66
I refer to my letter dated 21 January 2008 drawing the
attention of the Security Council to the critical fuel crisis facing
the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). As
indicated in that letter, I also sent a letter to Isaias Afwerki,
President of Eritrea, on 21 January, as a last resort, appealing for
his personal intervention to facilitate the resumption of fuel
delivery to the Mission, which was completely stopped by the Eritrean
authorities on 1 December 2007.
I regret to inform you that I have yet to receive a
response to my letter to President Afwerki, and the fuel supply has
not been reinstated. In addition, UNMEE has not been granted the
authorization to import fuel directly or from the United Nations
Mission in the Sudan. Consequently, the operations of the Mission are
grinding to a halt. UNMEE daily patrols, for instance, have been
reduced from some 60 on average before the fuel stoppage to around
20. At the same time, I am also deeply concerned about the safety and
security of UNMEE personnel, particularly those deployed at remote
sites, where they are solely dependent on generators for energy to
power communications and to preserve food and medical supplies.
The Mission's current fuel stocks will run out in the
coming few days, leaving only the strategic reserves, which are
intended exclusively for emergency evacuation purposes. I therefore
wish to inform you that if the Eritrean authorities do not reinstate
the fuel supply by 6 February 2008, I will be compelled to instruct
UNMEE to begin relocating the Mission's personnel and equipment from
Eritrea in order to avoid total immobilization of the Mission and
endangerment of the safety and security of United Nations personnel.
Under the UNMEE contingency plan, some of the Mission's
troops would have to be temporarily relocated to the Ethiopian side
until a decision is taken on the longer-term presence of the Mission,
while other troops may be concentrated in Asmara for onward temporary
evacuation to their home countries. A technical assessment mission
led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations will travel on an
urgent basis to Eritrea and Ethiopia to work with UNMEE and the
Eritrean and Ethiopian authorities on developing options and
recommendations for the future direction of the Mission. In this
regard, should Eritrea insist on maintaining restrictions that would
endanger the safety and security of UNMEE personnel, I would have to
consider the total withdrawal of the Mission and recommend the
termination of the Mission's mandate.
I should emphasize that the Mission's fuel reserves are
sufficient only for the emergency relocation of UNMEE personnel.
Consequently, the removal of all equipment will require additional
fuel and time. It will therefore be essential to secure the full
cooperation of Eritrea in this regard. I will keep the Security
Council informed of developments regarding the temporary evacuation
of the Mission.
I should be grateful if you would bring this urgent
matter to the attention of the members of the Security Council.
(Signed) Ban Ki-moon
Read
original letter at:
http://www.eritreadaily.net/News0108/SGTOUNSC1FEBO8.pdf
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