Ethiopia's PM says no demarcation without dialogue with Eritrea

Excerpt from report by Ethiopian radio on 26 November

Addis Ababa, Nov 26, 2004 - [Presenter] Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has called on the international community to support Ethiopia's new peace proposal to resolve the dispute with Eritrea.

Briefing resident foreign diplomats in Addis Ababa about the peace proposal today, the prime minister said Ethiopia would continue its efforts for the prevalence of durable peace in the region. Mr Meles said no attempts would be made to demarcate the border without dialogue in accordance with the peace proposal. Mnalachew Smachew had followed the prime minister's briefing:

[Mnalachew] Prime Minister Meles has briefed resident foreign diplomats in Addis Ababa about Ethiopia's peace proposal to resolve the dispute with Eritrea in a peaceful manner. [Passage omitted]

Asked by the diplomats as to why Ethiopia came up with the proposal at this time, Prime Minister Meles answered that it was because consultations at government and party levels to peacefully resolve the dispute were concluded at this time. He said, contrary to what some say, the new proposal had nothing to do with the forthcoming elections in Ethiopia. He noted that various peace proposals were also initiated by the UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan, the African Union and the South African government to resolve the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. He said Ethiopia compared and developed these initiatives and came up with the new proposal. [Passage omitted]

Asked if it was now possible to start demarcation in the disputed areas, he answered that no demarcation would be carried out, without dialogue, in areas that could affect peace.

[Meles in English] If on the other hand, the other side insists that it is all or nothing, so long as we have dialogue, we are not going to insist that we start demarcating straight away at those points on which there is no [word indistinct].

[Mnalachew] Whatever the position of the other side may be, without dialogue, demarcation can only be carried out in undisputed areas. According to Prime Minister Meles, 85 per cent of the border area can be demarcated. [Passage omitted]

Source: Radio Ethiopia, Addis Ababa ,via BBC Monitoring in Amharic 1700 gmt 26 Nov 04