Sudan’s SPLM proposes peace initiative to end Eritrea-Ethiopia dispute
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
December18, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has proposed an initiative to find out a peaceful negotiated settlement of the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
The proposal comes after leaders of SPLM delegation, headed by the Secretary General, Pagan Amum, held joint talks with officials from the ruling party, Ethiopian people revolutionary democratic front (EPRDF).
The Sudanese delegation has expressed its deep concern about tension rising between the two Horn nations over their border row.
The SPLM Secretary General, Pagan Amum, headed the SPLM side, while member of the executive office of the Popular Ethiopian peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front, Bereket Simon, headed the Ethiopian side in the discussions.
The parties have agreed to continue bilateral discussions in Juba, the capital of southern Sudan, in order to reinforce the relations for the interest of the two parties and peoples of Sudan and Ethiopia.
Following the discussions, EPRDF assured its readiness to accept any role that the SPLM could play to find out a negotiated peaceful lasting solution for border dispute between Addis Ababa and Asmara.
The two parties have also signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a strategic framework for future cooperation and bilateral relations in the areas of organizational construction and mass mobilization.
After the Eritrea-Ethiopia border panel dissolved it self last month tensions still remain at high of a possible new war breakout years after 1998-2000 border war claims some 70000 people.
The independent Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) which brought an end to the 1998-2000 border war Last September brought the two sides together for talks to push forward measures to physically demarcate the border along the line established in 2002, but the talks made no progress.
(ST)