DATE=10/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240455
TITLE=ERITREA LAND DISPUTES (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SONYA LAURENCE GREEN
DATELINE=NAIROBI 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SINCE ITS INDEPENDENCE JUST FIVE-YEARS AGO, THE SMALL 
EAST-AFRICAN NATION OF ERITREA HAS BECOME EMBROILED IN LAND 
DISPUTES WITH TWO NEIGHBORS -- YEMEN AND ETHIOPIA -- RESULTING IN
BITTER CLASHES.  ERITREA HAS NOW AMICABLY SOLVED ITS DISPUTE WITH
YEMEN, BUT APPEARS HEADED FOR MORE CONFLICT WITH ETHIOPIA.  SONYA
LAURENCE GREEN REPORTS FROM OUR EAST AFRICA BUREAU.

TEXT:  ERITREA HAS NORMALIZED RELATIONS WITH YEMEN, AFTER A 
THREE-YEAR DISPUTE OVER THE HANISH ISLANDS, AN ARCHIPELAGO 
LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS IN THE RED SEA.

THE ISLANDS OF GREATER HANISH, LESSER HANISH, AND JEBEL ZUQAR 
CONTROL ACCESS TO THE BAB AL-MANDAB STRAIT THAT LINKS THE RED SEA
TO THE GULF OF ADEN.  IN DECEMBER 1995, ERITREAN TROOPS OCCUPIED 
GREATER HANISH, AND CLASHED WITH YEMENI FORCES ON AND OFF FOR 
SEVERAL MONTHS.  IN MAY 1996 BOTH SIDES AGREED TO A PEACE ACCORD 
BROKERED BY FRANCE, AND THEY SUBMITTED THEIR DISPUTE TO 
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.

A BRITISH-BASED ARBITRATION PANEL HANDED DOWN ITS DECISION LATE 
LAST WEEK: YEMEN IS TO RETAIN THE MAJOR ISLANDS IN THE NORTH AND 
NORTHEAST, WHILE ERITREA HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE LESSER ISLANDS 
TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.  BOTH COUNTRIES WILL SHARE FISHING 
RIGHTS.  

ERITREA AND YEMEN BOTH ACCEPTED THE VERDICT, AND QUICKLY 
NORMALIZED RELATIONS.  THE ERITREAN AND YEMENI PRESIDENTS HAS 
SINCE SPOKEN ON THE PHONE, YEMEN PLANS TO RESTORE AIRLINE SERVICE
TO ERITREA, AND THE COUNTRIES' FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE DUE TO MEET 
SOON TO IRON OUT RELATIONS.

ERITREA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, HAILE WOLDENSAE SAYS IT IS A MODEL 
SOLUTION TO A STICKY PROBLEM.  BUT ERITREA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO 
APPLY THE SAME SOLUTION TO ANOTHER PROBLEM: THE MESSY 
FIVE-MONTH-OLD BORDER DISPUTE WITH ETHIOPIA, ITS LARGE NEIGHBOR 
IN THE HORN OF AFRICA.

LAST MAY, A SQUABBLE OVER BORDER TERRITORIES TURNED VIOLENT, 
ERUPTING INTO GROUND AND AIR BATTLES THAT CLAIMED HUNDREDS OF 
LIVES.  THE FIGHTING SUBSIDED IN MID-JUNE, BUT BOTH ETHIOPIA AND 
ERITREA HAVE USED THE LULL TO BUILD UP HEAVY REINFORCEMENTS ALONG
THE BORDER.

PEACE TALKS BEGUN BY THE UNITED STATES AND RWANDA, AND CONTINUED 
BY THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY, HAVE FAILED TO MAKE ANY 
HEADWAY.  DURING THE WEEKEND, ETHIOPIA RELEASED A STATEMENT 
SAYING ERITREA HAS NOW OCCUPIED ITS TERRITORY FOR 150-DAYS.  
ETHIOPIA WARNED THAT SHOULD INTERNATIONAL PEACE EFFORTS FAIL, IT 
IS PREPARED TO -- DEFEND ITS TERRITORY, REGARDLESS OF THE 
CONSEQUENCES.

THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS, AND ANALYSTS SAY THE REAL DANGER IS 
BOTH ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA APPEAR TO BE WAITING FOR THE END OF THE
CURRENT RAINY SEASON TO RENEW THEIR BORDER BATTLES.   (SIGNED)

NEB/SLG/PCF/RAE

20-Oct-98 7:39 AM EDT (1139 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.