SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO ESTABLISH UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA

Press Release
SC/6903

SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO ESTABLISH UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA

Resolution 1312 (2000) Adopted Unanimously

The Security Council this morning decided to establish a United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea consisting of up to 100 military observers and the necessary civilian support staff in anticipation of a peacekeeping operation subject to future authorization.

The Mission will be in the area until 31 January 2001 according to the terms of resolution 1312 (2000), which was adopted unanimously by the Council. Its mandate would be to undertake the following tasks:

-- establish and maintain liaison with the parties;

-- visit the parties’ military headquarters and other units in all areas of operation of the mission deemed necessary by the Secretary-General;

-- establish and put into operation the mechanism for verifying the cessation of hostilities;

-- prepare for the establishment of the Military Coordination Commission provided for in the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (signed by the Government of Ethiopia and the Government of Eritrea in Algiers on 18 June); and

-- assist in planning for a future peacekeeping operation if necessary.

By other terms of the resolution, the Council called on the parties to provide the Mission with the access, assistance, support and protection required for the performance of its duties.

The parties were also asked to facilitate the deployment of mine action experts and assets under the United Nations Mine Action Service to further assess the mine and unexpected ordnance problem and to provide technical assistance for it to carry out emergency mine action required.

The Council decided that the measures it imposed under paragraph 6 of its resolution 1298 (2000) would not apply to the sale or supply of equipment and related matériel for the use of the United Nations Mine Action Service, or to the provision of related technical assistance and training by that Service. [By the terms of paragraph 6, the Council decided that all States shall prevent the sale or supply to Ethiopia and Eritrea by their nationals or from their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related matériel of all types,

Security Council - 2 - Press Release SC/6903 4181st Meeting (AM) 31 July 2000

including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for the aforementioned, whether or not originating in their territory].

It stressed the importance of the rapid delimitation and demarcation of the common border between Ethiopia and Eritrea in accordance with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Framework Agreement (S/1998/1223, annex) and the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.

The Council welcomed the discussions between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the OAU on cooperation in the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.

The Secretary-General was asked to continue planning for a peacekeeping operation and to begin to take the administrative measures for assembling it, subject to future Council authorization. He was also to provide periodic reports, as necessary, on the establishment and work of the Mission.

In a June report to the Security Council (S/2000/643), the Secretary-General said that to expedite the deployment of the 100 military observers, some of them would be drawn from existing United Nations peacekeeping missions. The United Nations military observer group would be led by a senior military officer and would include civilian staff, including political, logistic and other personnel. The Secretary-General dispatched a reconnaissance mission to the area from 4 to 18 July.

The meeting, which began at 10:40 a.m., ended at 10:43 a.m.

Text of Resolution

The full text of resolution 1312 (2000) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling resolutions 1298 (2000) of 17 May 2000 and 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000 and all its previous resolutions and statements of its President pertaining to the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict,

"Commending the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for successfully facilitating the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the State of Eritrea (S/2000/601), signed in Algiers on 18 June 2000,

"Recalling the official communications by the Governments of Ethiopia (S/2000/627) and Eritrea (S/2000/612) of 30 and 26 June 2000 respectively to the Secretary-General requesting United Nations assistance in implementing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement,

"Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994,

"Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 30 June 2000 (S/2000/643), and recalling the letter of its President endorsing the Secretary-General's decision to dispatch reconnaissance and liaison teams to the region (S/2000/676),

"1. Decides to establish the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea consisting of up to 100 military observers and the necessary civilian support staff until 31 January 2001, in anticipation of a peacekeeping operation subject to future Council authorization, and to undertake the following mandate:

"(a) to establish and maintain liaison with the parties;

"(b) to visit the parties' military headquarters and other units in all areas of operation of the mission deemed necessary by the Secretary-General;

"(c) to establish and put into operation the mechanism for verifying the cessation of hostilities;

"(d) to prepare for the establishment of the Military Coordination Commission provided for in the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement;

"(e) to assist in planning for a future peacekeeping operation as necessary;

"2. Welcomes the discussions between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the OAU on cooperation in the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement;

"3. Calls on the parties to provide the Mission with the access, assistance, support and protection required for the performance of its duties;

"4. Requests the parties to facilitate the deployment of mine action experts and assets under the United Nations Mine Action Service to further assess the mine and unexploded ordnance problem and to provide technical assistance to the parties to carry out emergency mine action required;

"5. Decides that the measures imposed by paragraph 6 of its resolution 1298 (2000) shall not apply to the sale or supply of equipment and related matériel for the use of the United Nations Mine Action Service, or to the provision of related technical assistance and training by that Service;

"6. Stresses the importance of the rapid delimitation and demarcation of the common border between the parties in accordance with the OAU Framework Agreement (S/1998/1223, annex) and the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement;

"7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue planning for a peacekeeping operation and to begin to take the administrative measures for assembling such a mission, which would be subject to future Council authorization;

"8. Requests the Secretary-General to provide periodic reports, as necessary, on the establishment and work of the Mission;

"9. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter."

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