Ethiopia, Eritrea reduce clashes

2006-01-11 16:16

Addis Ababa - The UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), monitoring the disputed border between the two countries, said on Wednesday there had been a "drastic reduction" in clashes between the two sides over the last two weeks.

Border clashes had increased over the past three months as both countries stepped up movement of troops along their respective sides of the disputed border.

However both sides agreed to meet UN Security Council demands to relocate troops or face sanctions.

Ethiopia complied accordingly three weeks ago, moving its troops away from the border area, while Eritrea drastically reduced the movement of its troops within the buffer zone, UNMEE officer-in-charge, Azouz Ennifar said on Wednesday.

Eritrea, however, continues to maintain restrictions on UN helicopter flights and on movement of UN vehicles at night, despite repeated demands by the Security Council to lift the restrictions.

The Security Council said on Monday it would freeze decision-making on the matter for 30 days while a high-level US delegation visited Ethiopia and Eritrea to attempt to break the deadlock over the disputed border. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA