Ethiopia: Kofi Warns New Report to the Security Council

Ethiopia: Kofi Warns New Report to the Security Council
Dr.Abdullahi Mohamed (Deputy Editor Geeka Afrika Online)
Djibouti (HAN) January 4, 2006 Somalia "a forgotten crisis,"


The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has stressed that the "Yemeni, Ethiopian, Somalia and Sudanese" coalition is but an open coalition before all countries and that it is not directed against any one, rather an economic, cultural, social and security gathering especially in the area to fighting terrorism
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh (R) and Somali counterpart Abulahi Yusuf Ahmed in Yemen, . Somalia's president and parliament speaker have agreed in principle to move the government to Mogadishu, which could end a rift that has almost paralyzed the administration, Yemeni officials said on Tuesday. Khaled Abdullah- Rauter
Ethiopia: Kofi Warns New Report to the Security Council Djibouti (HAN) January 4, 2006 -The U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan warns in a new report to the Security Council released Tuesday that the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea has reached a dangerous stalemate and could result in the withdrawal of the U.N. mission deployed in the region. Tension has been building in the area as Ethiopia has failed to comply with a border demarcation decision while Eritrea is restricting the mission, known as the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, which was sent there to maintain a five-year truce between the two nations. "As a result of the restrictions imposed on UNMEE, the present position of the Mission is becoming increasingly untenable," he said in the report. "The time may be fast approaching to take difficult decisions on the future of the Mission." Annan said that UNMEE could maintain its present configuration "albeit with a much degraded monitoring capacity," yet with a reduced presence, "buy time for diplomatic initiatives to unblock the current dangerous stalemate." He also said that the mission could choose to relocate and move most staff out of the Eritrean capital of Asmara to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Other options outlined in the report include transforming UNMEE into an observer mission or liaison mission, or creating a preventive force deployed in strength entirely south of the Temporary Security Zone currently held by Ethiopia. The entire mission could also be withdrawn. ADVERTISEMENTIf the parties do not cooperate, Annan is also concerned about the prospect of maintaining peace between the two countries, which fought a war between 1998-2000 that killed 70,000. The deteriorating situation is the result of a "protracted stalemate" due to Ethiopia's refusal to accept the binding Boundary Commission's decision as required by the accord that ended the fighting, as well as Eritrea's ban on UNMEE flights and its demand to remove UNMEE staff of certain nationalities. A lack of dialogue between the two nations and a dangerous forward movement of their troops is also contributing to the escalating friction. In order to ease the tense situation, Annan recommends that both parties comply with a Nov. 23 Security Council resolution which threatened actions, possibly including sanctions against Eritrea if it does not immediately rescind its flight ban, and against both parties if they do not reverse their military build up. If the stalemate continues, however, the U.N. chief says he would have to recommend that the Security Council take action by the end of January concerning force deployment. "The Council may also wish to consider imposing deadlines for the implementation of the demands contained in its resolutions," he says. Also in the report Annan noted the trip that Japan's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kenzo Oshima, went to the region on behalf of the council. While in the area from Nov. 6-9 Oshima met with officials from both parties and later presented a report to the council based upon his observations. "Despite the efforts of the international community, the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea remains a source of deep concern," he added. The two countries on the Horn of Africa have been intensifying military movements, stirring fears of another war between the two nations. .
UN: Both Ethiopia and Eritrea Would Still have to fully implement council resolution 1640Nairobi (HAN) January 4, 2006- The resolution passed in November had given the arch-rival Horn of Africa neighbors until December 23 to reduce troop levels in the volatile border area under the threat of sanctions, warned Eritrea that it would face punitive measures if it did not lift the restrictions on the 3,3837-strong UNMEE and urged Ethiopia to accept the new boundary.
The 6 outlines UN options on Ethiopia and Eritrea Border:
The first option would be maintaining UNMEE in its present configuration inside the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), which runs along the 1,000-kilometre (625-mile) border between the two rival neighbors.
"Though reduced, this presence could buy time for diplomatic initiatives to unblock the current dangerous stalemate," the UN chief said.
But it also warned that doing so "may set an undesirable precedent and could lead to more unjustifiable restrictions."
A second option would involve relocating the entire UNMEE headquarters and units integral to it from Asmara to Addis Ababa, leaving only a small liaison office in the Eritrean capital.
Under this scenario, some of the UNMEE military units currently based in Asmara would be relocated to the adjacent areas south of the current TSZ. But UN troops stationed in the zone would remain in place, subject to Eritrea’s cooperation.
A third option would transform UNMEE into an observer mission, either on both sides of the TSZ or exclusively on the Ethiopian side.
The fourth would involve deploying a preventive force in strength exclusively south of the TSZ currently held by Ethiopia.
The fifth option would see UNMEE downgraded to a liaison mission keeping a small office in each capital, while efforts continued toward a political solution in line with the 2000 Algiers accord that required both countries to accept a new border demarcation drawn up by an international panel.
The sixth option suggested by Annan would be the full withdrawal of UNMEE and having the UN provide political support to the peace process from outside the region. Sources UN report.