Ethiopian, Eritrean military meet with UN officials on border issues

After an eight-month hiatus, military officials from Ethiopia and Eritrea have met with United Nations officials to discuss coordination issues along the two countries’ borders.

Yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya, the head of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Legwaila J. Legwaila, opened the 14th meeting of the Military Coordination Commission (MCC), commending both parties on the progress achieved to date and urging them to continue their efforts as the process moves into the demarcation phase of the mission.

Mr. Legwaila also used the occasion to formally introduce UNMEE's new Commander of peacekeeping forces, Major-General Robert Gordon of the United Kingdom.

The working meeting focused on the military situation in the mission area, with MCC members discussing ground-level coordination issues such as preventing and responding to disruptive incidents around border areas, and the modalities and coordination necessary for demining in support of demarcation.

The next MCC meeting is scheduled to take place on 29 January 2003 in Nairobi.