Eritrea appeals for pressure on Ethiopia

NAIROBI, Dec 15 (Reuters) – Eritrea appealed on Wednesday for stronger international pressure on Ethiopia to fully implement a 2000 peace treaty, arguing the outside world bore some responsibility for delays in settling a border dispute.

A government statement also suggested that delays in implementing the treaty had left the possibility of “another unnecessary and unjustifiable confrontation”, reflecting Eritrean concern the international community may be showing bias towards its larger neighbour.

“The government of Eritrea urges the international community to help secure peace and stability in our region by putting pressure on Ethiopia to ensure the long overdue demarcation of the boundary,” the statement said.

“The blame for this state of affairs does not rest with Ethiopia alone. Our partners in peace have treaty and moral obligations to persuade Ethiopia to uphold the rule of law and abide by its treaty obligations,” the statement said.

Eritrea was referring to main mediators who helped end the war: The Organisation of African Unity – forerunner of the African Union – the European Union and the United States.

A 1998-2000 border war between the countries, which killed an estimated 70,000 people, ended with a peace treaty signed in December 2000.

Under the accords the neighbours agreed to be bound by the ruling of an independent boundary commission, which was set up to determine where the boundary lay.

Ethiopia rejected independent ruling when it was issued in April 2002, saying it wrongly awarded the border town of Badme, where the war started, to Eritrea.

But last month, in an apparent about-face, Ethiopia said it accepted the ruling in principle but wanted dialogue with Asmara on implementation.

Eritrea, which agreed to the boundary commission report soon after it was published, has repeatedly said there is no point in dialogue and the ruling must be implemented in full.

Badme today remains in Ethiopian hands.