Is Mr. Lloyd Axworthy trying to breaking the international law?
By: Zemen Tesfay
February 22, 2004

A well known and respected man Mr. Lloyd Axworthy who once in an Asahi Shimbun interview May 5-6 2001 on global issues said  that "There's one sort of tendency reflected in U.S. politics and Congress and sometimes in the administration. It is because they are the most powerful country they can be above the law,"... "But if you are not prepared to support the rule of law, then it will be very hard to tell people like Milosevic and Pol Pot that they have to obey the rules too.", is now cought for breaking the rule of law when Eritrea rejected him as an Envoy.
 
 
Eritrea and Ethiopia signed the Algiers agreement to end their border row which is supposed to be as final and binding  nature of a Border Commission's [EEBC] verdict, and the EEBC as a sol responsible for the demarcations and implementation process. Not respecting this agreement would cause a punishment and sanction according to the UN chapter VII, which is included in the agreement. After the verdict, Ethiopia showed reservations and finally rejected it. Eritrea is now waiting for the guarantors to act and impose sanction on Ethiopia  according to the agreement.
 

A sudden appointment of Mr. Axworthy by UN general secretary Kofi Anan has now led the peace process to a new stage. The envoy whom according UN would be appointed only if both countries agreed on a good will was appointed despite Eritrea's reservation. In his first interview with the IRIN news Mr. Axworthy said " ..the boundary commission decision should be developed ", in contradiction of the final and binding nature of the agreement. After his arrival in Addis Ababa Ethiopia he said "..the purpose here is about to bring the implementation", despite it was the EEBC that was responsible for that and the most disturbing of all was when he said "I am not sure it [EEBC] still has the capacity to provide that kind of representation that the secretary-general would like to have..." which  surely was meant to disqualify the EEBC and take the charge at his own hands. He showed no intention to push Ethiopia which in this case is a violator of the law to accept the decision.

Eritrea wondering who gave  Mr. Axworthy [who doesn't exist in any agreement signed by the parties including UN] the Authority and mandate  of changing agreements has rejected his visit to Eritrea and it is sticking to the international law. UN officials in Asmara has warned Mr.Axworthy to bring some tangible result from Ethiopia rather than pushing  Eritrea who has already accepted the agreement in its entirely.  Now why is Mr Axworthy not supporting the rule of law? Is it because of tendency that he feels he is the most powerful man and thus he can be above the international law as he accused the US? . Media statements such as "poor countries go to war " in the case of Eritrea-Ethiopia is now too old fashioned that it gives niether sense nor credibility. Wars are being imposed on them by twisting rules of law, amending none amendable documents, by those envoys.
 
Kind regads
Zemen Tesfay