Accusing the Woyane adminstration for preparing to 're-ignite the [Ethiopian-Eritrean] war," a U.S. congressman is asking "the United States and the international community to condemn the Ethiopians' intransigence and urge them not to launch an attack."

In an op-ed published today in the Washington Post, a Republican representative from New York, Benjamin A. Gilman, who is also a Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, expressed "disappointment" for the failure of the Meles government to accept the peace plans, which he said were reasonable and intended "to stop the bloodshed."

According to Congressman Gilman, the peace plans were worked out in concert with the United States and the current chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), Mr. Abdulaziz Bouteflika, adding that Ethiopia had been assured "the implementation would be fair and binding to all parties."

Terming the Woyane's unreasonable fear of "Eritrean hegemony" as "paranoid," the congressman said that they had overestimated the security threat posed by Eritrea. He indicated that Ethiopia should attempt to resolve whatever security concerns through "the bonds of law, treaty and trade."

In a stern rebuke to the Meles administration, Congressman Gilman accused the government of repeatedly asking for clarifications in an effort to buy time "to recruit and train tens of thousands of additional troops."

And in what is the strongest warning to date from a United States official, he told the government in Addis Ababa that an attack on neighboring Eritrea would have severe economic, political, and security repercussions to Ethiopia and compromise its "growing relationship with the United States."

He urged the Clinton administration to use its declaration of January 2000 as "Month of Africa" to help spare the lives of thousands of Eritreans and Ethiopians, who would be killed if war breaks out between the two countries.