Eritrea President expresses cautious optimism
Eritrea-Ethiopia-USA, Politics, 8/18/1999

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki on Monday expressed cautious optimism over the possibility of ending the15-month old border war with Ethiopia.

In a press conference he held on the occasion of his unofficial visit to Washington the Eritrean president said the "possibilities of attaining peace seem much better than at any time during the past 15 months." He said that his visit to the US is private and that he had not planed to meet with US officials. But a state department statement said he met with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and "The discussions focused on the status of the Organization for African Unity's peace proposal. There has been encouraging movement on the peace process there. We have worked actively to try to advance that. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea have now accepted the framework agreement and the modalities for that framework agreement. Eritrea has also accepted the OAU's technical arrangements for implementation of the agreement. That is something that President Isaias reiterated today. The next step is for a document to be worked out that both Ethiopia and Eritrea can sign that will lay out the modalities of these agreements. We are hopeful that an agreement will be signed soon." ANother official US statement said that he will meet U.S. National Security Advisor Sandy Berger today.

Eritrea has recently announced its acceptance of a proposal by the Organization of African Unity to restore peace to the African Horn region, while its neighbor Ethiopia says it seeks to have explanations concerning certain aspects pertaining to the peace plans.

Relations between the two countries are still tense.

The OAU plan calls for observing a ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces to the positions they held before the beginning of fighting on May 6, 1998 and making negotiations over the disputed borders.

Previous Stories:
  Ethiopia asks for explanations of OAU peace plan   (8/10/1999)
  Eritrea accepts proposals of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU)   (8/9/1999)
  Algerian mediation to settle Eritrea - Ethiopia dispute   (8/7/1999)
  UN, African experts meet in Algeria on Eritrea - Ethiopia conflict   (8/3/1999)

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