Date: Sat Nov 22 11:59:49 2014
<http://stesfamariam.com/2014/11/22/vice-president-biden-the-us-must-also-ca
ll-on-ethiopia-to-abide-by-its-treaty-obligations/> Vice President Biden-The
US Must Also Call on Ethiopia to "Abide by its Treaty Obligations"
<http://stesfamariam.com/2014/11/22/vice-president-biden-the-us-must-also-ca
ll-on-ethiopia-to-abide-by-its-treaty-obligations/> Vice President Biden-The
US Must Also Call on Ethiopia to "Abide by its Treaty Obligations"
By <http://stesfamariam.com/author/sophietm7/> SophieTM7
Posted on
<http://stesfamariam.com/2014/11/22/vice-president-biden-the-us-must-also-ca
ll-on-ethiopia-to-abide-by-its-treaty-obligations/> November 22, 2014
Speaking in Kyiv, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said that "it is
unacceptable in the 21st century for countries to attempt to redraw borders
by force in Europe or intervene militarily because they don't like a
decision their neighbors have made." Biden called on Russia to "respect the
country's territorial integrity". The US Vice President also called on
Russia to "fulfill commitments it made" and the Vice President called on
Russia to ""Do what you agreed to do".
<https://sophietm7.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/with-marilyn-and-vice-preside
nt-biden.jpg> With Marilyn and Vice President BidenHaving met and chatted
with the Vice President on election night in Chicago, I found him to be a
straightforward person and have no reason to believe that he was merely
parroting a scripted narrative, mere words to appease an ally Ukraine, and
to annoy Russia. So if the US Vice President believes in respecting
international law, abiding by agreements signed and finds it unacceptable in
the 21st century for countries to redraw borders by force in Europe-why not
use the same standards with its ally Ethiopia, in Africa, and call on the
belligerent minority regime to abide by international law and respect its
treaty obligations?
Vice President Biden must know that Ethiopia, US' 'staunch ally' in the Horn
of Africa, willingly and consciously signed the Algiers Agreements in
December 2000, bringing an end to the bloody 1998-2000 "border conflict"
between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
The Algiers Agreement was signed in 2000 in Algeria by H.E. President Isaias
Afwerki for Eritrea and by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for Ethiopia and
witnessed and guaranteed by the then Secretary General Kofi Annan
representing the United Nations, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of the
Democratic Republic of Algeria, former President Obasanjo of Nigeria,
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright representing the United States,
Secretary General, Salim Ahmed Salim representing the OAU, and Senator
Renato Serri representing the European Union.
Vice President Biden must also know that the Algiers Agreements, brokered
and authored by the US State Department, called for the delimitation and
demarcation of the Eritrea Ethiopia border and that punitive actions would
be taken against the party that did not abide by its treaty obligations.
Vice President Biden must also know that the independent Eritrea Ethiopia
Boundary Commission (EEBC) delivered its final and binding decision on 13
April 2002 and while Eritrea accepted the decision, Ethiopia rejected it and
refused to abide by the EEBC's demarcation directives.
Vice President Biden must also know that Ethiopia has refused to abide by
its treaty obligations and continues to occupy sovereign Eritrean
territories, including Badme, the casus belli for the conflict. He must also
recall that the EEBC unequivocally awarded Badme to Eritrea.
Ethiopia also continues to ignore over a dozen UN Security Council
Resolutions on the Eritrea Ethiopia border issue. All attempts by US
lawmakers to urge Ethiopia to abide by its obligations under the Algiers
Agreements have been thwarted by the US State Department for the last 12
years.
The Algiers Agreement which was adapted and endorsed by the UN Security
Council clearly spells out what must be done by the UN Security Council if
any of the two parties refuse to comply. Article 14 of the Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement states:
".the OAU and the UN Commit themselves to guarantee the respect for this
commitment of the parties. This guarantee shall be comprised of measures to
be taken by the international community should one or both parties violate
this commitment, including appropriate measures to be taken under Chapter 7
of the Charter of the United Nations by the Security Council."
So, when is the Obama Administration going to call a spade a spade and ask
Ethiopia, its ally, to respect international law, abide by agreements it has
signed, and attempt to redraw borders by force, and do what it said it would
do?
Mr. Vice President, there cannot be double standards and different set of
rules for Europe and Africa. US credibility, integrity and reputation will
be further undermined if it continues to apply double standards in its
international dealings.
What is good for the goose must be good for the gander.
(image/jpeg attachment: image001.jpg)