Press Release
Proximity Talks Cut Short Because of Ethiopia's Reluctance

Upon the invitation of His Excellency Abdulaziz Bouteflika, President of the Democratic Republic of Algeria, the proximity talks between Eritrea and Ethiopia reconvened in Algiers under the aegis of the OAU, represented by Algeria, and with the presence of the facilitators from the USA, EU and the UN. The proximity talks were held from 23 to 27 October 2000.

Although the talks were scheduled to convene the morning of the 23rd, because of the late arrival of the Ethiopian delegation, the opening session did not start until late afternoon of the same day.

Subsequently, a copy of a paper containing possible solutions to the remaining outstanding issues of the peace process was provided to both delegations by the mediators. The issues addressed in the proposal were delimitation and demarcation of the border, compensation and the investigation of the origin of the conflict.

The Eritrean delegation submitted its comments on the contents of the paper on the morning of Thursday, 26 October. It was also informed by the mediators that the Ethiopian delegation submitted its comments the afternoon of the same day. While the Eritrean delegation was expecting further exchange of comments, suddenly it was informed by the facilitators that the talks will adjourn on Friday, 27 October, because the Ethiopian delegation insisted that it has to depart Algiers.

The proximity talks were cut short and forced to adjourn because of Ethiopia's unwillingness to engage itself in talks involving the delimitation and demarcation of the border which is the kernel of the OAU peace package. However, the fact that a proposal is on the table addressing the remaining outstanding issues of the peace process and that both parties had submitted their comments on the proposal, however small it may be, is progress.

Finally, the facilitators expressed their expectation that talks will resume in the near future.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 31 October 2000