Eritrea backs Libyan initiative in border dispute
Libya-Eritrea, Politics, 8/3/1998

Eritrea's industry and trade minister, Ali Said Abdellah, on Sunday commended Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi for the initiative he was taking to resolve the border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Addressing Eritreans living in Libya, the minister reaffirmed his government's support for the Libyan peace initiative saying it constituted a solid basis for the global settlement of the dispute.

In his capacity as current chairman of the Community of Sahelian-Saharan States, Col. Gaddafi has proposed a peace plan which calls for an end to hostilities and the stationing of troops from the community's member states: Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Niger and Sudan, in the disputed zones.

The plan also requires the two conflicting parties to accept the arbitration of the Hague-based International Court of Justice.

Eritrea and Ethiopia, which have been in a state of undeclared war since May 6, accepted the Libyan peace initiative on June 8.

On Saturday, the Eritrean delegation, which includes officials from several ministries discussed with their Libyan counterparts ways to diversify bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, The Libyan news agency (JANA) said on Sunday that several economic and cultural agreements were signed between Libya and Eritrea.

JANA added that the agreements were signed in Tripoli by the secretary of the Libyan economy and trade, Abdul Aziz al-Zalleiti, and his Eritrean counterpart Seif Abdullah. The two ministers signed trade and economic cooperation accords.

The Eritrean minister also signed with Libyan secretary for education and scientific research, Muftah Ambarsh, a cooperation agreement in the fields of culture and education.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt insists on ending the crisis between Ethiopia and Eritrea   (7/28/1998)
  Israeli Mossad owns spying bases in Ethiopia and Eritrea on Yemen   (6/29/1998)
  African mediation efforts to continue between Eritrea and Ethiopia   (6/27/1998)

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