DATE=6/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234792
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA / U-N (L ONLY-CQ)
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=ADDIS ABABA

INTRO: ETHIOPIA SAYS IT WANTS MORE THAN WORDS FROM ERITREA OVER A U-N RESOLUTION ON THEIR BORDER WAR. AS VOA'S SCOTT STEARNS REPORTS, ETHIOPIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS ERITREA MUST WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM ALL DISPUTED AREAS BEFORE THE START OF PEACE TALKS.

TEXT: AFTER NEARLY A MONTH OF DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION, ERITREA SAYS IT NOW ACCEPTS A U-N RESOLUTION ON THE BORDER CONFLICT BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST MEDIATION EFFORT THAT ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF BOTH COUNTRIES.

ERITREANS COMPLAIN THAT A U-S / RWANDAN PLAN AND AN ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY DELEGATION FAVOR ETHIOPIA. THE UNITED NATIONS HAS CONDEMNED THE USE OF FORCE BY BOTH SIDES AND CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE IN SUPPORT OF O-A-U MEDIATION.

SO FAR ERITREAN TROOPS REMAIN IN CONTROL OF SEVERAL AREAS, INCLUDING THE BORDER TOWN OF BADAME. ETHIOPIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SEYOUM MESFIN BELIEVES ERITREA IS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THE U-N RESOLUTION BECAUSE HE SAYS IT IS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT WITHDRAWING FROM BADAME.

/// SEYOUM ACT ///
I BELIEVE THE ERITREAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT, IS NOT, GOING TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM BADAME AND ITS ENVIRONS ON ITS OWN WILL. THE GLIMMER OF HOPE EXISTS ONLY IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BUILD-UP PRESSURE AND PREVAIL ON THE GOVERNMENT OF ERITREA TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM BADAME -- TO SAY TO THE REGIME, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
/// END ACT ///

0-A-U OFFICIALS SAY ERITREA INSISTS THAT BADAME WAS IN ITS CONTROL BEFORE FIGHTING STARTED MAY 6TH AND THEREFORE THERE IS NO REASON TO WITHDRAW. 0-A-U OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGED BY U-N SUPPORT FOR THEIR MEDIATION AND HOPE EVERY DAY THAT PASSES WITHOUT FURTHER FIGHTING BRINGS THE CONFLICT CLOSER TO AN END.

THE FRONT HAS BEEN PRETTY QUIET THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH A CEASEFIRE IN THE AIR WAR. ETHIOPIA IS CONTINUING TO REINFORCE POSITIONS ALONG THE BORDER WITH TROOPS AND HEAVY ARMOUR SUPPORTED BY LOCAL MILITIA.

FOREIGN MINISTER SEYOUM SAYS ETHIOPIA HAS DONE EVERYTHING IT CAN TO AVOID MORE FIGHTING. HE SAYS THE COUNTRY NOW STANDS READY TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ERITREAN AGGRESSION IF MEDIATION FAILS.

/// SEYOUM ACT ///
WE KNOW NO ONE CAN DETER US FROM EXERCISING OUR RIGHT TO DEFEND OUR SOVEREIGN TERRITORY. BUT WE ARE NOT RUSHING TO GO TO WAR. WE ARE NOT ITCHING 10 FIGHT WITH ERITREA SIMPLY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT WAR AND FORCE IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE BORDERS.
/// END ACT ///

THERE WAS NO FORMAL BORDER WHEN ERITREA DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM ETHIOPIA IN 1993. ERITREANS SAY THEY ARE RECLAIMING PARTS OF TIGRAY REGION GIVEN TO THEM BY ITALIAN COLONIALISTS. ETHIOPIANS SAY COLONIAL TREATIES SHOW THE DISPUTED AREAS BELONG TO THEM. (SIGNED)

NEB/SKS/KL/MMK
30-Jun-98 12:03 PM EDT (1603 UTC)
Source: Voice of America