Ethio Eritrea Border

New York - Ethiopia and Eritrea, which went to war in 2000 over a disputed border, have agreed to begin implementing a proposal by an international commission to demarcate a new boundary, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday. Annan said in a statement that he hopes 'this positive development will allow the commission's decision to be implemented without further delay.' 'The full and prompt demarcation of the border is a central element in the overall peace process,' leading to the establishment of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries, Annan said. Representatives from Ethiopia and Eritrea met in London last Friday with the commission to discuss arrangements to begin the task of setting up the new boundary, which was mapped out by the commission in 2002. Ethiopia rejected the proposal, causing a standoff in the area in the past four years. Eritrea last year expelled Western military personnel in the UN force along the disputed border and grounded all UN helicopter flights, which drastically curtailed UN patrol activities. There are now about 3,500 UN troops and civilians in the force. Annan urged the two nations to cooperate with the UN peacekeeping force that has been monitoring the ceasefire along the border. The 2000 war ended with a ceasefire negotiated by Algeria. The UN Security Council discussed the new development on Monday, hoping that the new boundary would reduce tensions. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur