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Ethiopia-Eritrea: Annan makes proposals on UN mission's role in border decision

Ethiopia-Eritrea: Annan makes proposals on UN mission's role in border decision

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended that the Security Council adjust the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) so that it can help ensure the implementation of an independent commission's recent decision on the two countries' border.

In his latest report to the Council on UNMEE, released today, the Secretary-General says that the Mission can help with the "expeditious and orderly" implementation of the decision by providing mine clearance, agreeing with the parties on the technical modalities for the orderly transfer of territorial control and providing administrative and logistical support for the Boundary Commission's field office.

"The practical capabilities available to UNMEE on the ground make it particularly suitable to assist the Boundary Commission promptly and effectively," he writes.

The Secretary-General emphasizes that all parties must do their part to allow the Commission's work to move forward quickly. "The lives of the affected populations have been plagued by uncertainty for far too long," he observes.

Mr. Annan also appeals to the parties to exercise restraint during this critical juncture, and to cooperate fully with UNMEE in the discharge of its mandate. "The successful conclusion of this process, in which the parties have invested heavily, is within sight," he says. "The continuing exercise of statesmanship on both sides will ensure that it is reached."