UN chief asks Eritrea, Ethiopia to stop hostilities

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Saturday urged both Ethiopia and Eritrea to halt hostilities between them immediately and to give diplomacy a chance to reach a political solution to their border dispute.

A statement read by his spokesman said that Annan feels great concern over the violent fighting that erupted while international efforts are continuous, especially those efforts exerted by the UN representative Muhammad Sahnoun.

The statement added that Annan feels "regret because it would be better for both Eritrea and Ethiopia to work towards achieving economic prosperity in the African Horn instead of getting into fighting because of border disputes."

The statement added that the UN chief, regardless of which side started military operations, calls upon the two warring sides to immediately halt hostile acts and to resort to the diplomatic solutions.