Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Addis Ababa (Fides Service)- “Ethiopia has decided for the war on hunger and poverty rather than real war” local sources in Addis Ababa told Fides commenting the decision taken by the government of Ethiopia to accept on principle the border line with Eritrea marked by the independent international commission in The Hague in April 2002. The Ethiopian Prime Minister said that although the frontier is “unjust and illegal”, Ethiopia is anxious to solve the question peacefully with Eritrea.
“Ethiopia has decided to change its path: it rejects war and intends to solve its problems of development” the sources told Fides. “By accepting the border mapped by the Commission, Addis Ababa hopes to obtain international support for national development programmes”.
However, the first reactions from Eritrea are not encouraging: “they are taking time... futile positions” an Eritrean government spokesman said. International observers say this attitude stems from the situation of isolation at home and abroad of President Isaias Afeworki’s government. “This can be the only explanation for Eritrea’s attitude, because the frontier set by the international commission favours Asmara more than Addis Ababa” the source told Fides.
“Now both countries must collaborate. They have still to restore diplomatic relations” the sources told Fides. “Now that Ethiopia has accepted the border on principle the two government will have to mark it out on the land. This will require diplomatic relations between the two as well as international technical support”.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought bloody border wars in 1998 and 2000, which caused at least 100,000 dead. Hostilities ceased in 2000 with an agreement signed in Algiers which called on an independent international commission to map the frontier between the warring neighbours. But in September 2003 Addis Ababa refused the line marked by the commission and the peace process stalled. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2004 righe 32 parole 366)
