Talks on Eritrea, Ethiopia row

2006-03-10 15:34

Asmara - Legal experts from Ethiopia and Eritrea flew to London on Friday for talks with international mediators on demarcating their common border, according to officials.

But Eritrea said it would only discuss implementation of a 2002 ruling by an independent boundary commission charged with the demarcation.

"Our legal team will go today under the understanding that there will not be any tinkering with the substance of the decision or the process of implementing it", said presidential adviser, Yemane Ghebremeskel.

Ethiopia's minister for state in the foreign affairs ministry, Tekeda Alemu, said Addis Ababa had sent the acting head of its legal department to the talks, called by the commission.

In good faith

"We have sent a delegation to participate in the meeting in good faith," he said.

Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed to demarcate their border after a 1998-2000 border war which killed 70 000 people.

The two countries also agreed to abide by the decisions of the independent boundary commission.

Eritrean information minister Ali Abdu said Lea Brilmayer, a United States lawyer who has advised Eritrea for 10 years, would lead the legal team.

"There will be no revisiting, renegotiating, or renewing of the 2002 ruling," he said.

Ethiopia has said in the past that it wants to discuss the ruling before marking the border out, while Eritrea insists on strict implementation before dialogue.

- Reuters