The
Peace Process
The first peace proposal launched
in June 1998 by the US and Rwanda is commonly
seen as the one with the most
potential to secure an agreement on both
sides. The plan envisaged resolving the conflict with no more use of force,
sending an impartial observer to the volatile region as well as setting
the committee to delineate the border.
In addition, Eritrea was obliged to withdraw
its troops from the territories occupied in May 1998. Accepted by Ethiopia,
the proposal was turned down by Eritrea due to a fatal mistake of announcing
the plan before getting a final approval from the president Issaias who
ultimately broke the talks.
From Ethiopian perspective, however, the
failure of the plan hinged upon its lack of a firm stand that would force
Ethiopia to withdraw its troops from
the occupied region.
Similarly, in June 1998 the Organization
for African Unity (OAU) reiterated
a
demand for withdrawal of Eritrean troops abstaining from taking firm
actions. Similarly, Ethiopia accepted the plan while Eritrea sought clarification
on
nearly 40 points. Even though the proposal
was likely to succeed, the OAU
failed to provide precise terms and definitions,
especially with regard to
the word “withdrawal”. Ironically enough,
both Ethiopia and Eritrea received two different interpretations of the
plan which, certainly, brought about only more confusion.
Finally, the UN Security Council picked
up the baton. In its 1226 Resolution
the Council endorsed the OAU plan and
urged Eritrea to accept the peace proposal. The most recent peace
agreement was reached in June 2000 when both Eritrea and Ethiopia accepted
the OAU Proposal for an Agreement
on Cessation and Hostilities Between the
Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government
of the State of Eritrea.
Foreign Minister of Ethiopia,
Seymoun Mesfin
and Haile Waldensaye, the
Fireign Minister of Eritrea
with Algerian President
Abdelaziz Badeflika after signing
cease-fire protocol in the
Algerian capital.
Related
articles
Eritrea
refuses to head calls
the article written from
Ethiopian perspective
and discussing the Eritrean
motives to refuse
the US-Rwanda peace proposal
Eritrea
calls for respect
for international law; Ministry
of Foreign Affairs 1999
UN deplores
continued Ethiopia-Eritrea fighting;
the UN document from 03/04/1999
calling both
countries for peace
Statement
of the OAU Secretary General on the current situation
between Ethiopia and Eritrea;
released in february 1999
Statement
by the President of the Security Council on Ethio-Eritrean
conflict; released in 09/1999
THE WAR BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA 