PRESS STATEMENT ON ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

PRESS STATEMENT ON ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is the press statement on Ethiopia and Eritrea delivered by Security Council President Mihnea Ioan Motoc (Romania):

Members of the Council heard a briefing on the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the activities of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).  They reiterated their full support for UNMEE’s work.

Members of the Council expressed their satisfaction that some restrictions to UNMEE’s freedom of movement had recently decreased, but stressed that several other open questions such as direct flights between Addis and Asmara remained unresolved, which resulted in considerable additional costs.  They called on both parties to continue to cooperate constructively with UNMEE to maintain stability and prevent incidents in the border area.  Members of the Council also welcomed ongoing UNMEE efforts to streamline its operations.

Members of the Council welcomed the recent visit of the Secretary-General to both capitals and expressed the hope that his meetings with President Isaias and Prime Minister Meles would provide new momentum for an active and constructive involvement of both parties with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy.  They called on the parties to speedily implement the decision of the Boundary Commission and to step up their cooperation with the Special Envoy in order to overcome the impasse in the peace process.  They also called on the parties to enhance efforts to reach an effective and mutually acceptable political solution to the remaining problems.

Members of the Council recalled the commitment both parties had made through the Algiers Agreement to resolve their differences peacefully and to cooperate fully and promptly with the Boundary Commission.

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