Eritrea wants guarantors to press Ethiopia to end border dispute

By TOM MALITI, Associated Press Writer

ASMARA, Eritrea, Nov 5, 2004 (AP) — Eritrea wants the international guarantors of its peace deal with Ethiopia to press the neighboring country to accept an independent commission’s redrawing of their shared border, a senior official said.

The United States, Britain, Algeria and the African Union must use their influence to convince Ethiopia to accept the ruling on the location of the frontier — a key part of the peace deal that ended a 2 1/2 year war, said Yemani Ghebremeskel, who heads the office of President Isiayas Afwerki.

“These are the powers that have the leverage with Ethiopia,” Yemani told reporters Thursday, saying the boundary dispute must be settled before diplomatic relations between the two countries are restored.

“We did not sign the agreement because we trusted Ethiopia,” he said.

The two governments have not held direct talks since they signed a cease-fire deal in December 2000, ending a the war, which cost tens of thousands of lives. As part of the deal, Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to have the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission — part of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration — delimit the border.

The commission’s ruling was made in April 2002, but the physical demarcation of the border has been postponed indefinitely because of Ethiopia’s refusal to accept the decision. Ethiopia objects to the awarding of the disputed town of Badme to Eritrea.

The United States believes the commission’s ruling should be implemented, but has been unable to persuade the Ethiopians to back the plan, a U.S. official said Friday, responding to Yemani’s comments.

“Everyone assumes that the U.S. just has to snap its fingers. That’s not the way the world works,” the U.S. official said, speaking from Asmara on the condition of anonymity.