Ethiopia abandoning Peace Proposal it signed
Ethiopia agreed to the above principles when it endorsed the US/Rwanda proposal, the OAU proposal, the amended OAU (Framework) and the Modalities. However, Ethiopia has unquestionably abandoned all the peace proposals it upheld earlier by demanding the deployment to occur prior to the implementation of the cease-fire and the peacekeeping Force. Their latest Foreign Ministry press release (November 4, 1999) is just another manifestation of this renouncement. It states:
"Ethiopia deserves, at a minimum, to have its sovereignty fully restored before other steps in the peace process can be taken."
The above clearly invalidates and negates the essential procedures of all the peace proposals. The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry continues to state:
"Rather, he [Eritrean President] qualified his comment by saying that he would be prepared to do so, suggesting that certain circumstances or conditions must first be met before withdrawal can take place."
It is not he [Issaias] who is 'suggesting' that. All the peace proposals that Ethiopia accepted and the once they rejected (Technical Arrangements) require that 'certain circumstances and conditions' be met prior to the redeployment.
The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry continues to play with words when stating the following:
"Indeed, it is interesting to note that in a recent interview, President Issaias was careful not to say that he is prepared to withdraw his troops from disputed territories. ... If the Issaias regime were truly sincere about withdrawing, the president wouldn't be bothering to make any statements at all. Instead, the Eritrean army would have already deployed from all occupied Ethiopian land."
He is careful, as any responsible president should, because Eritrea should not withdraw its troops without a cease-fire. Ethiopia repeatedly requires assurances on redeployment. Is it too much for Eritreans to ask for assurances (cease-fire) to withdraw their troops? Eritrean troops can not give their backs to the Ethiopian army on "trust me, I will not shoot you", especially, when they have been betrayed, by Ethiopia, over and over again.
Finally, once again, we hear about the "ball":
"The ball is in Eritrea's court; it can either withdraw peacefully or it can face being forcefully removed."
The "ball" has been in Ethiopia's court locked by threats of war, such as the one above. If Ethiopia is not responsible for the safety of its citizens, Eritrea can do only so much. As the amHaras say, mKerew mKerew imbi Kale meKera ymKerew. Give them a lesson, if they don't learn from it, let the outcome of war be their lesson.