UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Monday he was “immensely saddened at the resumption of what is an increasingly incomprehensible war”. In a statement issued in new York, he said there could be no justification for such large-scale death and suffering, especially at a time when both countries were suffering from drought and hunger. Annan expressed his full support for the mission of OAU special envoy Ahmed Ouyahia, and the efforts of other peace envoys. Meanwhile, the EU’s envoy to the Horn of Africa, Rino Serri, arrived in Eritrea on Tuesday for his second visit in 24 hours to continue a bout of shuttle diplomacy aimed at stopping the fighting, news agencies reported. Earlier in the day in Addis Ababa, Serri, who represents the Italian presidency of the EU, said Eritrea was willing to resume peace talks “without preconditions”.
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