| News on EPLF-Eritrean Invasion of Ethiopia |
WASHINGTON, June 4 (UPI) - The U.S. State Department is advising Americans living in the East African nation of Eritrea to consider leaving, and is warning Americans living near the Ethiopian border to leave as soon as possible.
The State Department had issued a milder warning last week. The stronger warning comes amid reports Ethiopian troops have crossed into Eritrea as a lingering border dispute escalates into violence.
All U.S. government employees in Eritrea have been reassigned to the capital, Asmara, and those at the end of their tour of duty or who cannot conduct their business are leaving the country.
The State Department is also advising against travel on the Ethiopian side of the border in Tigray province and in northern Afar province.
Eritrea received its independence from Ethiopia in a 1993 referendum, after 30 years of fighting. Since then the two had maintained generally good relations, until Eritrea decided to adopt its own currency last year.
For the past two weeks, tensions have mounted about the status of the border area near Ethiopia's Tigray province.
ADDIS ABABA, June 4 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. diplomat said on Thursday that Ethiopia had provisionally accepted a U.S.-Rwandan plan to end the country's violent border dispute with Eritrea.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Susan Rice told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had responded positively to recommendations announced by Washington on Wednesday night.
``Prime Minister Meles has indicated to us upon receiving the recommendation ... that pending formal considerations within his government, the government of Ethiopia would be prepared to accept the recommendations,'' Rice said.
The plan calls for Eritrean forces to withdraw from the border town of Badme to positions they held before May 6 when hostilities broke out.
Eritrea has admitted its forces engaged Ethiopia on that date, but insists it was merely retaking territory seized by its neighbour six months earlier.
Rice said the plan also calls for a small observer force to be deployed in Badme, and for the return of the previous civilian administration. She said an investigation should also be held into the conflict.
Rice, who was accompanied by fellow negotiator Patrick Mazimhaka -- Rwanda's Minister in the President's Office -- appealed ``in the strongest terms'' to both governments to refrain from further military action.
Rice did not mention any Eritrean response to the peace plan.