UN News Centre – Warning that the continuing military build-up by Ethiopia and Eritrea in their border areas, where the two countries fought a deadly two-year war that ended in 2000, creates the risk of reigniting hostilities, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the neighbouring States to urgently de-escalate the situation.
Ethiopia and Eritrea should end their exchange of hostile statements, return to December 2004 levels of deployment in the border areas and provide the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) with the necessary assistance, support and protection so that it can fulfil its mandate, Mr. Ban says in his latest report to the Security Council on the work of the mission.
He writes that Eritrea must also immediately withdraw all troops and heavy military equipment from the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and reverse all restrictions on the movement and operations of UNMEE, including fuel supplies, which were stopped at the start of last month.
“I am seriously concerned that, if not resolved immediately, the stoppage of fuel supplies since 1 December 2007 will completely immobilize the Mission operations in the coming few weeks,” the Secretary-General says, noting that UNMEE would have to relocate staff and equipment.
The restrictions have become so crippling that Mr. Ban says they require a Council decision on UNMEE’s future, and he recommends that the mission’s mandate have a one-month technical rollover while the latest developments are monitored and assessed.
He encourages the two nations to resume the meetings of the Military Coordination Commission – there has been no such gathering since mid-2006 – as a way of developing confidence-building measures, such as mine clearance and ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
2 thoughts on “Ethiopia and Eritrea must de-escalate border row, says Ban Ki-moon”
UN is responible for any criss in both eriteran and ethiopian .priveously UN were agree that ethiopian and eritriean can’t disntegrated . The modern UN undermine the privuose law and disntigrat one country , this is the criss today for millions of enosents . their is no bordar problems , the secreate is well known by those who was at clossdoor meeting on ethiopian sovernigty
Now it is an old fashion to claim bothside not to make a war. UN should go ahead with this people ” they never separet” otherwise UN will creat a foveirty for terrorist that they insergent at any tribalor clans shedoo
So Mr. Banki Moon, what are you going to do except incite a conflict that has legally being resolved. Is that all that you can and would do to earn your pay check? Does anybody care to stop the unnecessary blood letting and mayhem that unfortunately has been the trademark of the region? Does anybody, anyone in this earth care and value the life of Ethiopians and Eritreans? Do we have to bleach our skin “White” aka Michael Jackson to attract attention to the acts of the criminal UN and its surrogates? No, hell no! We are very proud of our skin color, our culture and it is a matter of time before some cool heads would prevail that would free the people of Eritrea and Ethiopia and when they would live peacefully side by side and challenge and decisively deal a deadly blow to the enemies of Eritrean and Ethiopian people.