U.N. deplores continued Ethiopia-Eritrea fighting

05:24 p.m Mar 04, 1999 Eastern

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (Reuters) - Security Council members on
Thursday deplored continued fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea, even
though both have accepted a peace plan, and regretted that Ethiopia was
pressing ahead with military action.

``Members of the council expressed their concern at the continuing fighting
along the borders between Ethiopia and Eritrea,'' council President Qin
Huasun of China told reporters after closed-door consultations.

Members noted that both countries had already accepted a framework
agreement proposed by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), he said.

Eritrea last weekend dropped its earlier opposition to the OAU plan,
previously accepted by Ethiopia, after Eritrean troops were driven out of the
contested border region of Badme in an Ethiopian offensive backed by
artillery and fighter planes.

``Members of the council deplored that hostilities have not been ceased and
regretted that Ethiopia still continues its military action,'' the council statement
said.

Council members renewed their demand for an immediate ceasefire by both
sides so as to create conditions for implementing the OAU agreement