THE
WHITE HOUSE
Office
of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
January
22, 1999
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT CLINTON on Eritrea and Ethiopia, 22 January 1999
The United States remains deeply concerned about the risk of
armed
conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia and strongly committed to help
find a peaceful resolution to their border dispute.
As part of this effort, I asked former National Security Advisor
Anthony Lake to return to Eritrea and Ethiopia during the last week.
This was his fourth visit since October. During his visit, Mr. Lake
met with Organization of African Unity (OAU) Secretary Salim Ahmed
Salim, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, and Ethiopian Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi.
In their meetings with Mr. Lake, the leaders of Eritrea and
Ethiopia reaffirmed their engagement with the OAU's peace process,
which the United States strongly supports. In this context, the United
States urges both parties to accept the OAU's Framework Agreement and
its agreed implementation in order to achieve a peaceful resolution of
the dispute. Ethiopia has accepted the OAU Framework, and Eritrea
awaits certain clarifications from the OAU.
The United States remains deeply concerned, however, about the
continuing military build-up along the common border between Ethiopia
and Eritrea, and about the implications of this build-up for renewed
hostilities. We call on both parties to exercise reason and restraint
and to maintain their commitment to the peaceful solution that we are
convinced is within reach.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have made remarkable strides in the last few
years in overcoming a past of repression, famine and war. Both nations
have promising futures. Both are good friends of the United States.
We ask them not to risk what they have gained in a conflict that cannot
possibly benefit the people of either side. We pledge our own best
efforts, in partnership with Ethiopia and Eritrea, to avert a tragedy
and to advance the interests that continue to unite the people of both
nations.
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