Spat leaves border off the map

2003-10-31 13:28

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - The commission charged with drawing the official border between Ethiopia and Eritrea has indefinitely postponed the physical demarcation of the boundary, the United Nations said.

Though officials from the United Nations Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea and the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission refused to give any reason for the postponement, it appears that the demarcation - slated for late this month - was delayed because of Ethiopia's strong objections to the commission's ruling.

The demarcation had already been delayed on two previous occasions because of Ethiopia's objections and, in recent weeks, the Horn of Africa country has stepped up its protests, saying the commission was no longer neutral and its decision could lead to another war with Eritrea.

Ready and willing

On Thursday, mission spokesperson Gail Taylor-Sainte told reporters in video-linked news conference between Addis Ababa and the Eritrean capital, Asmara, the commission, part of the Permanent Commission on Arbitration based in The Hague, was "unable to proceed" with the demarcation, but "is ready and willing to proceed as soon as conditions permit."

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two-year war over their disputed thousand-kilometre border, then agreed to abide by the ruling of the commission as part of the December 2000 peace agreement.

The commission's decision was announced in April 2002, but Ethiopia criticised portions of the ruling, in particular the decision to locate the town of Badme in Eritrea. The town - the flash point of the war that began in May 1998 - was administered by Ethiopia before the war.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and conscripts on both sides were killed, and the war cost the two countries - both among the world's 10 poorest - more than $1m per day.

Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year guerrilla war, but the border between the two was never formally demarcated.

- AP