Eritrea and Ethiopia spar over village

"Unless Eritrea 'removes the gun it has put at the head of Ethiopia', withdraws from all Ethiopian territories that it has occupied by force, and stop training, arming and supporting terrorists and warlords, and put an end to its acts aimed at destabilizing the Horn of Africa, it is obvious that durable peace will not be achieved," the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"If in the ongoing OAU process to achieve a peaceful solution Ethiopia is guaranteed the return of all its territories and a full and unequivocal return to the status quo ante as is required by International Law, Ethiopia would be ready, as ever, to fulfill its obligations on the basis of the OAU peace proposals." it added.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Eritrean Foreign Ministry criticized the Ethiopian call for guarantees. Senior Foreign Affairs official Tekeste Tesfamariam said, "The TPLF is holding the peace process hostage by demanding that it be awarded Eritrean territory prior to demarcation."

The Ethiopians claimed that the Eritrean Foreign Ministry referred to the town of Zalambessa as Eritrean "for the first time" on October 4, while Tekeste said, "Zalambessa is sovereign Eritrean territory, and every Ethiopian map up until the infamous TPLF map of 1997 confirms that."

Meanwhile, Eritrean Presidential Advisor and Spokesperson Yemane Ghebremeskel responded to the Ethiopian call for guarantees by saying, "There are no loopholes or ambiguities in the agreement. The parameters are clear. The mechanisms for implementation are also clear and this has been told and clarified to the TPLF in the most unequivocal terms. Eritrea shall redeploy from disputed areas, including Zalambessa, that it moved into after fighting on May 6, 1998." However he added that sovereignty over Zalambessa would "only be determined after delineation on the basis of colonial treaties."

In addition, he asserted, "The TPLF has invaded Somalia, continues to make intermittent forays against Kenya and has set the agenda for 'toppling the government in Asmara.'"