Diplomatic efforts intensify to end the fighting

The international community has stepped up its efforts to halt the fighting with separate peace missions by the EU, OAU and Libya. EU Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa Reno Serri had three hours of talks with President Isayas Afewerki in Asmara on Monday, news agencies reported. Afterwards, he left for Addis Ababa, where he was due to meet representatives of the Ethiopian government and officials from the OAU. Before leaving the Eritrean capital, Serri told journalists his mission had only just begun and that he expected to return to Eritrea on Tuesday. He declined to comment on his discussions with Isayas, who has not appeared in public since Ethiopia launched its attack on 12 May. Meanwhile, Algerian Justice Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who is special representative of Algerian President and current OAU Chairman Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was also expected Addis Ababa and Asmara for talks. Ouyahia said he was hopeful that the two warring parties could be persuaded to resume the proximity talks that broke down in Algiers on 5 May, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported. On Sunday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi received Dr Ali Abd al-Salam al-Turaiki, personal envoy of Colonel Gaddafi, who brought a message from the Libyan leader appealing for and end to the war with Eritrea and the restoration of peace in the region, Libyan television reported. It said the Ethiopian Prime Minister had accepted that the continuing war was an obstacle to African unity and stressed that Ethiopian forces would withdraw from the territories it had taken immediately Eritrea pulled out from the land it had occupied since 6 May 1998. Meles said he wanted good relations and cooperation with all of Ethiopia’s neighbours, including Eritrea.