Global Policy Forum

The recent announcement by Ethiopia that it would accept "in principle" a ruling to end a simmering border dispute with Eritrea was broadly welcomed, but the complex issue of when and how the two countries can enter into dialogue to try and normalise relations still remains. "I am not jumping up and down, but at least there is more traction there than there was," the UN special envoy to the Horn of Africa, Lloyd Axworthy, told IRIN from Winnipeg, Canada. "It could be the beginnings of a new chapter for peace, but there has to be another step, which is how the two countries begin engagement."

Ethiopia had refused, until now, to respect an April 2002 ruling by the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, part of the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague. Axworthy believes the international community should work to build on the momentum generated by the new pledge by Ethiopia. "If we are not able to get some positive steps or actions in the next two or three weeks, I think an opportunity will be missed," Axworthy said. "The commitment is out there. Now it has to be followed by some effort to get back into the process of the commission and adhere to it." The African Union and European Union were among the first to welcome the announcement by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on 25 November.

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a two and half year war between May 1998 and December 2000 in which tens of thousands of people were killed. As part of a deal to end the war, Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed to form an independent boundary commission and that its decision would be final and binding. The commission, made up of five lawyers appointed by both countries, drew up a new frontier on maps and the physical construction should have been completed a year later. However, while Eritrea accepted the April 2002 decision, Ethiopia refused to accept the commission's decree on where the disputed 1,000-km frontier should be drawn.

The announcement by Meles was part of a five-point plan - ratified by parliament - on how the country can move forward. Still, his statement made clear Ethiopia's opposition to ceding any territory. Under the 2002 ruling, the border town of Badme, scene of some of the heaviest fighting in the war, is awarded to Eritrea. It is one of the key sticking points leading to the initial stalemate, an unresolved issue.

Eritrea has rejected the offer by Ethiopia, which it said was aimed at "buying more time" and said its neighbour was prolonging the "suffering of the peoples". On Friday, a statement released by the Eritrean Foreign Ministry said the country was "long past the time for toothless diplomatic words". It read: "We hardly need to stress the implications of Ethiopia's continued intransigence and the inexcusable attitude of major international powers. "Eritrea has shown maximum patience and restraint at huge humanitarian and economic cost," it added. "We cannot accept the logic of force and accommodate Ethiopia's forcible occupation of our territory. We cannot accept the dislocation of our people and condemn them to live in makeshift camps for ever."

"The response from the Eritreans wasn't as hopeful as one would have hoped, but at least we have a base to work from," Axworthy said. "All along the Eritrean president has said there is no point in getting involved until Ethiopia has agreed to work with the decision of the boundary commission and that has now taken place." He added that he was sending a team into Ethiopia in the next 10 days to see how they can capitalise on Ethiopia's offer to work within the boundary commission framework.

There was a positive reaction to the prime minister's statement along the closed border with Eritrea, which is patrolled by a 3,800-strong UN peacekeeping force. Tigray Vice President Abadi Zemo said the move was a "significant step", but insisted Ethiopia was not about to cede any territory. "We need peace so that we can focus on our development, which is the main priority," Abadi told IRIN from the Tigrayan regional capital, Mekele.

Barnabas Gebre-Ab, the former federal affairs state minister and now head of health in the region also insisted changes can be made when demarcation takes place. "This is not the word of God," he told IRIN from the war-ravaged mountain town of Zalambessa, just a few km from the border, which was destroyed during fighting. Villagers also praised the initiative, but were cautious in case the stalemate continues. "Even soldiers want peace," Abebe Kebede, 23, who fought during the war, said. "But if we can't find a solution, then war is expected. The right solution is for Badme to remain in Ethiopia, but if Badme went to Eritrea, then there would not be peace."

Ethiopia's leading opposition parties, however, said the proposal would not bring lasting peace. Brehanu Nega, spokesman for the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, told IRIN that the proposal was "incapable" of bringing sustainable peace. He said the coalition - made up of four main political parties - believed that the government should "sensitise" affected border populations on the boundary ruling and the new initiative, adding the coalition would hold a national referendum if the public demanded it, on how to achieve sustainable peace between the two countries. Information minister Bereket Simon disagreed and accused the opposition group of trying to "derail peace". "Had this new coalition come up with its own peace initiative we would have listened but they didn't have a peace plan," Bereket told IRIN. "But even so, they are rejecting a peace plan tabled by the government. I think that is irresponsible."

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