Ethiopia, Sudan agree to enhance mechanisms to resolve border clashes
July 11, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia and Sudan agreed today to enhance, the already existing mechanisms to resolve border clashes between the neighboring countries.
Ethiopian foreign minister, Seyoum Mesfin, and Sudanese chief of Security and intelligence services, Gen Salah Abdallah Gush discussed on Friday “minor misunderstanding” that lead to “infrequent clashes” between people living along the joint border.
The official ENA said today that Gosh and Mesfin agreed to “strengthen the implementation of the system designed earlier by the two countries to solve the problem.”
Ethiopian forces had attacked a police base 17 kilometres (11 miles) inside Sudanese territory, killing 19 people, including one police officer on Monday 7 July. Sudan denounced the attack saying there was not apparent reason for it.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Spokesperson, Berekat Simon, denied the attack saying “we do not know why they accusing us”. The Ethiopian official described the killing of 19 people as “minor” without expressing any regret.
The Sudanese official, who is still in Addis Ababa, is expected to discuss the issue with other political and security officials in Ethiopia.
Sudanese press reported that the attack came weeks after Sudanese refusal to hand over a local Ethiopian official who defected to the opposition. The Eritrea supported Oromo rebels are active in border area between the two countries.
The Ethiopian Ambassador to Sudan, Abdou Solomon, reaffirmed to the official SUNA yesterday the commitment of his government to good neighborliness between the two countries. He further that said contacts were under way to investigate this attack and provide more details about the circumstances.
(ST)