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.