Key personalities in Ethiopia urge Eritrea to accept peace proposal

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 23, 2004 (Ethiopian TV) — Religious leaders, academicians and prominent personalities called on the international community to pressurize Eritrea to accept Ethiopia’s peace proposal.

At a panel discussion organized by Ethiopia TV today, the participants noted that the international community needs to exert the pressure considering the importance of ensuring the peace of both nations.

They further noted that the international community needs to understand the significance of peace in speeding up development for both countries. People of the two countries, they said, realize the social and economic ramifications of war more than anybody else.

According to participants, Ethiopia’s five-point peace plan is believed to contribute towards sustainable peace in the Horn of Africa. The new peace initiative, they said, is a manifestation of Ethiopia’s commitment for peace and deserves appreciation from the international community.

Experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave explanations to participants of the discussions, which was jointly organized by Walta Information Centre and Ethiopia Television.

Material from the BBC Monitoring Service