Ban says Eritrea-Ethiopia war possible

New York - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned in a report released on Wednesday that another war could break out between feuding neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea if progress is not urgently made on a stalled peace process.

Ban urged the Security Council to extend the UN peacekeeping mission monitoring a tense 992km-long buffer zone between the countries for another six months. Given the precarious security situation in neighboring Somalia, if fighting resumes it could destabilise the entire region, he said.

"The potential for this situation to deteriorate further or even to lead to renewed hostilities is real, especially if it is allowed to continue indefinitely," Ban said in the report.

The Security Council has until the end of the month to decide whether to extend the mandate of the 2 300-strong force monitoring the buffer zone under a December 2000 peace agreement that ended a
two-and-a-half-year border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
'Considerable frustration'

Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who holds the council presidency this month, said last week many council members favour reducing the mission to 1 700 soldiers. He said there was "considerable frustration" at the lack of progress in stabilising a border between the countries.

A Russian diplomat said on Wednesday the mission's six-month extension would likely be adopted, but discussions were still taking place on the force's size. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were ongoing.

The UN missions for Eritrea and Ethiopia did not return calls seeking comment.

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 following a 30-year guerrilla war, but the border between the countries was never officially demarcated. Ties have remained strained since the
2000 truce.
Sapa-AP