15/07/2004
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Press
Release
SC/8150
AFR/995
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PRESS
STATEMENT ON ERITREA-ETHIOPIA BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Following is the press
statement on Ethiopia
and Eritrea delivered
by Security Council President Mihnea Ioan Motoc (Romania):
Members of the Council
heard a briefing on the situation between Ethiopia
and Eritrea and
the activities of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia
and Eritrea (UNMEE). They reiterated their full support for UNMEE’s work.
Members of the Council
expressed their satisfaction that some restrictions to UNMEE’s freedom of
movement had recently decreased, but stressed that several other open questions
such as direct flights between Addis and Asmara
remained unresolved, which resulted in considerable additional costs.
They called on both parties to continue to cooperate constructively with
UNMEE to maintain stability and prevent incidents in the border area.
Members of the Council also welcomed ongoing UNMEE efforts to streamline
its operations.
Members of the Council
welcomed the recent visit of the Secretary-General to both capitals and
expressed the hope that his meetings with President Isaias and Prime Minister
Meles would provide new momentum for an active and constructive involvement of
both parties with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy. They called on
the parties to speedily implement the decision of the Boundary Commission and
to step up their cooperation with the Special Envoy in order to overcome the
impasse in the peace process. They also called on the parties to enhance
efforts to reach an effective and mutually acceptable political solution to the
remaining problems.
Members of the Council
recalled the commitment both parties had made through the Algiers Agreement to
resolve their differences peacefully and to cooperate fully and promptly with
the Boundary Commission.
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