Eritrea commits to political solution for its crisis with Ethiopia

Eritrean President Assyas Afworki has asserted his country's commitment to the peace process plan proposed by the Organization of the African Unity (OAU). He added that "Eritrea will not fire the first bullet against Ethiopia."

In a statement released in Asmara on Tuesday, Afworki said that Eritrea will keep on supporting a peaceful settlement for the conflict. He indicated that the peace plan drawn by the OAU in November 1998 was not wholly acceptable, but it can be discussed and clarified.

Afworki expressed wonder over the decision released by the UN Security Council on November 29 in which it called for approval of the OAU peace plan, while "Eritrea had just received an answer to her request for an explanation from the OAU." He accused Ethiopia of embarking on a "terrifying and provocative policy," stressing that Ethiopia is making its preparations to launch a "war."

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi warned that there are extreme tensions on the borders between Ethiopia and Eritrea and things could become much worse than ever.

The OAU plan calls for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops to their previous positions before the eruption of the conflict on May 6, 1998 and to deploy peace and monitoring troops as well as to set up a neutral committee for border demarcation between the two countries.

Ethiopia approved the plan, but Eritrea has not yet. It demanded that military withdrawal should be also applicable to Ethiopian forces and should require Addis Ababa to recognize the border set during the Italian colonization.

The UN Security Council welcomed Addis Ababa's consent to the agreement and called on Asmara to do the same, without delay.

The UN Security council also strongly called upon the two countries to abide to self-control and avoid any political move.

The two countries are on alert of confrontation since May 1998 over an area of land along their joint borders.