Press Release
President Meets Senior US Officials

The Government of Eritrea has reiterated its full commitment to the scrupulous implementation of all the peace agreements that it has signed with Ethiopia. These statements were made during meetings that President Isaias Afwerki held with US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Dr. Susan Rice who visited the country late last week, and with CENTCOM Commander General Franks who was in Asmara yesterday for extensive talks on bilateral and regional issues.

President Isaias underlined to the visiting US officials that Eritrea was very much disappointed by the unnecessary controversy raised during the meeting of the Military Coordination Commission (MCC) in Nairobi to determine the Temporary Security Zone. Eritrea is confident, the President noted, that this issue will be resolved in the coming days in a judicious manner and in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities through the good offices of the Special Representative of the UN Security General.

Eritrea also welcomes the lifting of the arms embargo since it was not differentiated, and hence unfair, in the first place and as it has become superceded by Article 14 of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities which provides for the UN Security Council to invoke Chapter VII of the UN Charter and impose punitive measures on the party that violates the Agreement.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 17 January 2001