Security Council members confirm support for African efforts to settle conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea
United Nations Daily Highlights
Friday, 13 November, 1998
From: The United Nations Home Page at http://www.un.org
email: unnews@un.org
The members of the Security Council on Friday confirmed the Council's full support for the efforts of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to promote a settlement between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Following a briefing of the Council by Ambassador Mohammed Sahnoun, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy in Africa, the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Peter Burleigh of the United States told the press that the members of the Council supported the proposals of the OAU Heads of State on Ethiopia and Eritrea. Council members considered the proposals, which are aimed at resolving the border dispute between the two countries, fair and balanced, according to Ambassador Burleigh.
The Council encouraged the parties to be flexible and to give serious consideration to the proposals. It called on Ethiopia and Eritrea to refrain from the use of force as they explored a peaceful resolution of the conflict through this process, Ambassador Burleigh added.
The President of the Security Council said that the Council asked that the parties guarantee the safety and freedom of operation of non- governmental organizations.
The Security Council invited the Secretary-General to consider how the United Nations might respond to the OAU's request for United Nations support should the OAU's proposals be accepted by both parties.
Comment on the Above Article:
The end of the road is now in sight. Eritrea wil soon face a choice: Accept the peace proposals or prepare to face economic sanctions from the International Community.
The UN press release shows that the whole world knows that Eritrea and Ethiopia were presented with a "fair and balanced" peace proposal at Burkina Faso on November 8, 1998. Ethiopia formally accepted the peace proposal on November 11. Meanwhile, Eritrean President Issayas Afeworki charactised the proposal as a "nonstarter." Furthermore, the Eritrean public relations machine degenerated into a confusing and contradictory mess. The existence of a peace proposal was even denied and Eritrea began using some strange terminology about "talking points."
This is a very critical time. We can expect from Eritrea maximum efforts to destroy the peace process. They have already attacked Djibouti's participation in an effort to sidetrack the peace plan. Expect more of the same. Eritrea will also likely engage in military attacks (such as the shelling) in order to try to destroy the peace plan.
It would be nice if expatriate Eritreans would exert pressure on Eritrea to accept peace. However, a large segment of the Eritrean Diaspora has been behaving in a brainwashed manner. The Dehai parrots and other components of Eritrea's public relations machine appear prepared to follow Issayas Afeworqi over a cliff - eyes closed, hands clapping, and singing songs of praise to their dictator. May God have mercy on their souls.
- Dagmawi