International community duty-bound to press for the implementation of EEBC ruling, President Isaias underscores
By: Shabait Staff
January 16, 2004


President Isaias Afwerki underscored that the international community is duty-bound to see to it that the final and binding ruling of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission on border delimitation is fully implemented. The President further emphasized that any attempt to look for another alternative is totally unacceptable.

President Isaias made the remarks when he received and held talks on Thursday with the visiting British Minister of State for African Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr. Chris Mullin. The President stated that as formulator and guarantor of the Algiers Peace Agreement, the international community must bring sufficient pressure to bear on the Ethiopian Government to comply with the EEBC’s ruling that is based on the Algiers Agreement itself.

Stressing the fact that had it not been for the complicity of external forces with the Ethiopian regime, the latter would not have dared to officially reject the internationally –backed EEBC ruling. President Isaias further underlined that the stand of some countries not to apply sanctions against Ethiopia is regrettable.

Regarding ploys by the TPLF regime to the effect that it would be confronted with internal crisis if the Boundary Commission’s ruling is implemented, President Isaias said that such a make-believe exercise on the part of the regime should in no way be allowed to tamper with Eritrean sovereignty.

Reaffirming the British Government’s conviction that the EEBC verdict is final and binding, Mr. Chris Mullin assured President Isaias that this firm stand of the Government of the Untied Kingdom has been communicated to both Eritrea and Ethiopia. He went on to say that he would once again convey this same stand of the British Government to the Ethiopian authorities during his visit to that country this week.