In a milestone, UN sets up temporary security zone on Eritrea/Ethiopia border

The United Nations peacekeeping operation in Eritrea and Ethiopia today officially established a Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) along the countries' common border, representing a "milestone" in the resolution of the conflict between the two East African States, according to the head of the UN mission.

"The establishment of the TSZ marks the formal separation of the forces of the two parties," Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, who heads the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), said today in a statement. "It is the penultimate step in the resolution of the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict and a necessary precondition to the implementation of the full peace agreement reached by the parties in Algiers on 12 December 2000."

Mr. Legwaila said the zone was temporary in nature and "does not in any way prejudice the decision of the Boundary Commission on the delimitation and demarcation of the border."

The decision to set up the TSZ was made in Algiers in June 2000, but both parties have sought adjustments recently in the southern boundary of the zone as presented to them by UNMEE after the 6 February meeting of the Military Coordination Commission. In that context, UNMEE voiced its regrets that Ethiopia had not communicated to the UN Mission the full nature of its redeployment plans in the Irob area.

"UNMEE has, however, concluded that it has no other option than to adjust the southern boundary of the TSZ accordingly," Mr. Legwaila said. "It expects to reach agreement on the clarification of the redeployment lines provided by Ethiopia and to gain a more accurate understanding of the differences between the parties on the ground in specific localities. This will ensure as far as possible the inclusion in the TSZ of the villages to which Eritrean internally displaced persons are expected to return."

In today's statement, UNMEE welcomed Eritrea's announcement on 16 April that it had completed the repositioning of its armed forces out of the proposed TSZ. The Mission commended both parties for fulfilling their obligations as stipulated in the Algiers Agreement. "This repositioning allows for the establishment of the TSZ," Mr. Legwaila said. "To delay any further the establishment of the TSZ until all areas of disagreement have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties would subject the civilians seeking to resume their lives in the former war-torn areas to unnecessary suffering."

The head of the UN Mission underscored that the establishment of the secure area, which will allow for the restoration of civil administration and the return of internally displaced people, was particularly urgent given the impending rainy season and the need to reconnect existing villages and communities to their administrative support systems.

UNMEE also reminded the parties of their obligation to create the conditions for the return of the population and the full respect of their human rights, wherever their homes may be, as called for in the agreement reached in Algiers last December.