Eritrea lukewarm on US border mediation mission By Ed Harris

Eritrea lukewarm on US border mediation mission
By Ed Harris Thu Jan 12, 4:21 AM ET

ASMARA (Reuters) - Eritrea has given a lukewarm reaction to an impending U.S. mission which hopes to mediate in its dispute with Ethiopia over a border where a 1998-2000 war cost 70,000 lives and tensions have risen in recent months.
Led by assistant secretary of state for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, the mission is expected in days and aims to kickstart a paralyzed peace accord between the Horn of Africa neighbors.
An editorial on the Information Ministry's website late on Wednesday said Eritrea would welcome "initiatives that are focused at bringing about an appropriate resolution to the fundamental issue."
Asmara insists Ethiopian non-compliance with a post-war boundary ruling is at the root of the problem.
But Eritrea "cannot countenance... other 'diplomatic' efforts or 'mechanisms' that will substitute legality, the respect of the rule of law and the implementation of final and binding decisions," added the editorial on shabait.com said.
"The Government of Eritrea reaffirms again that such endeavors will only entail further delay and suffering and will not consequently have any legality and political relevance."
An independent boundary commission accepted by both countries mapped out the 1,000 km (620 mile) border, awarding the flashpoint town of Badme to Eritrea.
But Ethiopia rejected that to the fury of Eritrea.
The latest U.S. diplomatic initiative comes amid mounting concern over Eritrea's stance toward a U.N. border monitoring mission. Asmara has banned U.N. helicopter over-flights and ordered out Western personnel from the mission.
In December 2003, U.N. Secretary General also attempted to resolve the border impasse by appointing former Canadian foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy as his special envoy.
But while Ethiopia welcomed that appointment, Eritrea was deeply suspicious, viewing it as an attempt to bypass the boundary commission decision.
By August 2005, when he completed his term as special envoy, Axworthy had never even met the Eritrean leadership.
Asmara may, however, have a different attitude to the United States, which it sees as having more influence on Ethiopia.