Ethiopia denies Eritrea’s fresh accusation on border attack

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

December 27, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — The version of the story about an incident along Ethio-Eritrea border recounted by Eritrea on December 26, 2007 is not based on what really took place, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Eritrea has accused Ethiopia of launching an attack on its security forces on Tuesday this week, describing it as part of the ongoing provocation along their disputed border which already has claimed some 70,000 people in the 1998-2000 border war.

In a statement posted on the official shabait.com on Wednesday, Asmara said the relatively small-scale raid targeted its troops and allied militias in the South Tsorona region, inside a former buffer zone, and ended in failure.

In a press it released on Thursday, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said that there was an incident, it is true. “The incident is of Eritrea’s making which is being looked into.”

It is possible that it may have been a result of an accidental encounter between the reconnaissance missions of the two parties. The claim that there was an attack by Ethiopia is just pure fabrication, it said.

Ethiopia said that it wants to settle the dispute with Eritrea right away and using whatever mechanism may be available.

Addis Ababa has expressed its readiness to recommit itself to the commitment that both parties have entered into under the Allergies agreements to refrain from the threat and use of force.

The Ministry noted that Ethiopia has absolutely no claim over an inch of Eritrea’s territory.

About 70,000 people were killed in a 1998-2000 border war between the two neighbours. In November, an international commission charged with setting the 1,000-km (620-mile) frontier dissolved itself, leaving the two states to work it out alone.

(ST)