Ethiopian troops worry UN
2005-02-17 21:44
Addis Ababa - The United Nations has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to show restraint near a disputed border, where the countries each have amassed large numbers of troops, a UN spokesperson said on Thursday.
The Ethiopian and Eritrean troops are within their own territories in defensive positions, but the Ethiopians have come within 20-40km of the frontier in recent months, said Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainte, spokesperson woman for the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
"Our concern is that, if there are troops close to the border, anything that threatens the stability of the temporary security zone is of concern," Sainte told reporters via video-link from the Eritrean capital, Asmara.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a bloody 2 1/2-year border war that ended in December 2000.
The dispute over the 1 000km-long border has never been settled. Almost 4 000 UN peacekeepers currently patrol a 25km-wide security zone.
"We are monitoring the situation very closely," Sainte said.
"We are concerned about the numbers" of troops, she said, without giving any figures.
A Western diplomat said on Monday on condition of anonymity that Ethiopia had an estimated 60 000 troops near the border, a major increase from about 35 000 troops there in late 2004.
The bulk of Eritrea's 300 000-strong force is also near the temporary security zone, the diplomat said.
Dutch Ambassador Rob Vermaas, speaking on Monday on behalf of the European Union, said the EU also was concerned about the military build up along the frontier, and warned the two countries not to take any action that could trigger another war.
In April 2002, the Eritrea-Ethiopia boundary commission - part of Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague - issued a ruling on the border as agreed under a December 2000 peace deal.
The physical demarcation, however, has been postponed indefinitely because of Ethiopia's refusal to accept the decision.
It objects to the awarding of the disputed town of Badme to Eritrea.
- AP