SECRETARY-GENERAL GRATIFIED THAT ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA HAVE ACCEPTED ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY PROPOSAL ON CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES

Press Release
SG/SM/7457
AFR/248

SECRETARY-GENERAL GRATIFIED THAT ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA HAVE ACCEPTED ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY PROPOSAL ON CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES

The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

The Secretary-General is very gratified at the confirmation that Eritrea and Ethiopia have accepted the proposal of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on the cessation of hostilities between them. He trusts that this now opens the way for the speedy implementation of the Framework Agreement and Modalities.

The Secretary-General notes that the agreement on the cessation of hostilities calls for an important role for the United Nations that would involve the deployment of a peacekeeping mission to assist in its implementation. The Secretary-General has noted, in this connection, that the parties will address separate requests to him and to the Secretary-General of the OAU for assistance in the implementation of the agreement. The United Nations will support all efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to pay tribute to the efforts of the OAU, and particularly those of its current Chairman, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, and to reiterate the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support the efforts of the parties and the OAU to restore peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

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