Eritrea: 'US is taking sides'
2006-04-10 18:12
Asmara - Eritrea has accused the United States of favouring Ethiopia in attempts to end a border dispute between the rival Horn of Africa nations.
On Monday, Asmara said military, diplomatic and economic support from Washington to Addis Ababa outweighed a US diplomatic initiative launched in January to end the impasse which has followed the 1998-2000 conflict.
A statement posted on the website of Eritrea's information ministry read: "Unfortunately, the US administration continues to prop up and extend special treatment to the (Ethiopian) regime instead of shouldering its responsibilities.
"Even though the US scheme has been flaunted as new, its net effect would not be dissimilar to preceding attempts aimed at derailing and plunging the process into a dangerous quagmire."
Eritrea imposed restrictions on United Nations peacekeepers within its borders last year.
Officials have expressed frustration at the failure to map out the 1 000 kilometre frontier between the two countries - despite both side's agreement to abide by the ruling of an independent boundary commission in.
The UN has described the situation between the two countries as "tense".
Ethiopia and Eritrea representatives agreed to begin marking out the border again after two days of talks with mediators in London last month.
A second meeting is expected to be held later this month, but the Eritrea ministry's statement repeated the country's refusal to compromise on the 2002 ruling by the commission.
- Reuters