Eritrea/Ethiopia:
SC extends UN mission for another 6 months
14 September 2004 – With the
stalemate in the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea ongoing, the
Security Council today extended for
another six months the United Nations peacekeeping operation overseeing the
ceasefire between the two Horn of Africa neighbours.
The Council unanimously adopted a resolution extending the UN Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)
until 15 March 2005, and approved adjustments to the operation as recommended
last week by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a report. Those modifications
include the replacement of the Slovak military demining contingent with a
modest commercial capacity, as well as a timetable for reducing the number of
troops participating in the buffer force.
While taking note of some positive developments between the two countries,
who signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in June 2000 after a two-year
border war, the Council stressed again the responsibility of both sides for the
implementation of the Algiers Agreement and the decision of the
Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission. It called on both parties “to show
political leadership to achieve a full normalization of their relationship,
including through the adoption of further confidence building measures.”
Separately, the Council urged Ethiopia to show the political will to
reaffirm unequivocally its acceptance of the Boundary Commission’s decision,
and take the necessary steps to enable the Commission to demarcate the border
without further delay.
On Eritrea, the Council called for it to enter into dialogue and cooperation
with the Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea, Lloyd
Axworthy, and gave full backing to his efforts to facilitate the implementation
of the Algiers Agreements, the decision of the Boundary Commission and
normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries through his
good offices.
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