US special envoy and Secretary of State Anthony Lake, who is shuttling between Ethiopia and Eritrea, has said “additional mediation” is needed to secure the two countries’ mutual acceptance of the OAU’s ‘Technical Arrangements’ peace document. US State Department spokesman James Rubin quoted him as saying that consensus was reached on “some” of the provisions of the document. Both Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi reportedly reaffirmed their confidence in the OAU’s mediation process, and their commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The US government urged both countries to remain “fully engaged” in the OAU peace process.
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