Annan Urges Restraint From Ethiopia, Eritrea

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Annan Urges Restraint From Ethiopia, Eritrea

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for restraint from former warring countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea as tensions are rising between them, according to Anna's latest report to the Security Council.

While the situation in the temporary buffer area between the two nations remains calm, tensions have risen "considerably" in the past few months, with each of them accusing the other of building up militarily, Annan said in the report released in New York Tuesday.

He rejected allegations by both sides of "appeasement" on the part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), saying that despite a lack of cooperation in providing information on its militia and police and in allowing unrestricted freedom of movement in the areas adjacent to the temporary security zone on the part of Eritrea, the mission has found no evidence of any significant Eritrean military build-up.

The U.N. chief stressed that UNMEE must be able to move freely in the area in order to investigate allegations and suspicions. The absence of mutual confidence between the two countries creates a potentially volatile situation, he added.

The Security Council set up UNMEE in July 2000 to maintain liaison with the parties and establish the mechanism for verifying the cease-fire.

In September of 2001, the council authorized the deployment of up to 4,200 UNMEE military personnel to monitor the cessation of hostilities and assist in ensuring the observance of security commitments.

In June 2000, after two years of fighting over a border dispute, the two African neighbors signed the agreement of cessation of hostilities following proximity talks led by Algeria and the Organization of African Unity.

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