Wednesday, June 10, 1998
Contact: Press Office
202-234-2281
[Washington, DC]In the face of recent, repeated, and escalating aggression by Eritrean forces on Ethiopian sovereignty, territory, and its civilian population, the government of Ethiopia would like to renew its urgent call for the Eritrean acceptance of the four-point peace plan proposed by the governments of the United States and Rwanda.
Ethiopia has already publicly accepted this plan, which calls for no more than immediate demilitarization of the conflict areas, withdrawal of all troops to their positions before May 6, 1998, the deployment of a independent, third-party observer mission to the areas in question, and the demarcation and delimitation of the Ethio-Eritrean border according to colonial treaties and international law.
So far Eritreans have refused to accept this peace
plan, and have continued mounting attacks on the local civilian
population in the border areas, resulting in the tragic loss of
many civilian lives and the regular violation of the human rights
of those residing in the border area.
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of
the Organization of African Unity (OAU), meeting in the capital
of Burkina Faso Ouagadougou, on Tuesday 9 June 1998 fully endorsed
the Resolution of the OAU Council of Ministers on the crisis between
Ethiopia and Eritrea which, inter alia, demands the withdrawal
of Eritrean government forces from Badme, northwest Ethiopia.
Expressing deep concern over the escalation of the
conflict, the OAU summit also urgently appealed to both sides
to end all hostilities, accept and implement the recommendations
submitted by the Facilitators, the United States and Rwanda.
The appeal is naturally directed at Eritrea because
Ethiopia accepted the Recommendations when they were submitted
and expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Facilitators.
The OAU summit further decided to send to Ethiopia
and Eritrea a delegation of Heads of State and Government of the
OAU Central Organ On Conflict Resolution and Management led by
the current Chairman of the Continental Organization.
Eritrea has not accepted the proposals which have
received the full support of the OAU. On the contrary they have
expressed contradictory points of view about the proposals. The
President of Eritrea was quoted by Reuter News Agency as complaining
that "the problem with the peace process is the hasty with
which it was managed by the Americans. They believe in quick fixes
and bulldozing and that does not work. It is not our culture."
In a statement to the OAU summit the President of
Eritrea contradicted himself when he complained about the lack
of "speedy resolution, as the facilitation process that has
been underway has been a time-consuming process.
These contradicting statements have not been helpful
in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
June 10 ,1998.