Ethiopia-Eritrea stalemate is potentially dangerous - Annan

While recommending a six-month extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the lack of progress in marking a permanent border between the two has led to a potentially dangerous political stalemate, his spokesman said today.

"He recommends that the mission's mandate be extended for six more months, until 15 September 2004," spokesman Fred Eckhard said at his daily briefing, referring to a new report released to the Security Council.

"The Secretary-General says there have been no major incidents on the ground, but in the absence of political progress, military stability is becoming fragile and should not be taken for granted. He warns that the current stalemate is a source of instability and has the potential to become dangerous."

Mr. Annan repeated his appeal to the two parties, especially Eritrea, to give Special Envoy Lloyd Axworthy an opportunity to discuss with them ways of overcoming the impasse, the spokesman said.