Eritrea agrees to truce, Ethiopia unrelenting

UNITED NATIONS, MAY 16. Eritrea has agreed to a ceasefire proposal but Ethiopia refused to stop fighting before the start of peace talks, as the U.N. Security Council met to consider sanctions against the warring African neighbours.

``Eritrea, consistent with the principled position it has upheld throughout the conflict, accepts Security Council Resolution 1297 (2000) of 12 May 2000,'' which calls for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional resumption of peace talks, the Eritrean Foreign Minister, Mr. Haile Weldensae, said in a letter on Monday.

His Ethiopian counterpart, Mr. Seyoum Mesfin, said indirect talks should lead to a ceasefire and a lasting peace, in a letter to the Chinese ambassador, Mr. Wang Yinfang, who holds the presidency of the Security Council.

On Monday, the Security Council met to discuss two very different draft resolutions designed to persuade Ethiopia and Eritrea to halt their renewed war.

Diplomats said the 15 Council members were behind closed doors considering proposals from the United States and Russia, and that a vote on either text was highly unlikely before Wednesday.

The U.S. text called for a comprehensive embargo on the sale or supply to either side of arms, ammunition, personnel, training, military vehicles and paramilitary equipment and spare parts. It also called for a diplomatic embargo on Ethiopian Government officials, prohibiting their movements abroad.

- AFP.

Telegraph reports:

More than 100,000 Ethiopian protesters denounced the U.S. and Britain on Monday during a demonstration to support the country's war against Eritrea.

Protesters in Addis Ababa threw stones at the American embassy, chased foreign journalists and shouted slogans outside the British embassy.

Nationalists were infuriated by the U.N. decision to impose an arms embargo on the warring sides if they did not stop fighting.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Moscow vows to strengthen ties with Belgrade
Next     : Wiranto quits Cabinet