Eritrea pulls out of disputed areas

The Eritrean army withdrew its forces from Zala Anbesa on the central front of the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict on Wednesday night, announcing that it was pulling out of all disputed areas in compliance with calls from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). “Eritrea stated its readiness to respond immediately and favourably to the two-point appeal of the current chairman of the OAU, namely the immediate cessation of the fighting and the resumption of the proximity talks,” a government press release stated. Accordingly, from midnight on 25 May, Eritrea would begin the “redeployment” of its forces to positions held before 6 May 1998, it said. Eritrea insisted that this did not amount to a surrender, presidential spokesman Yemane Gebremeskel told journalists in Asmara: “Things are not what they appear on the ground. Ethiopia is gaining territory but losing the war.” Speaking at a press conference in Asmara, Eritrean Foreign Minister Haile Woldensae confirmed that Eritrea was withdrawing its forces from all areas occupied after 6 May 1998, included Tsorona and Bure. He also insisted that the Eritrean withdrawal was not a defeat. Asked about a large number of Eritrean soldiers reported to have fled the fighting into Sudan, he said: “There are individuals who want to escape war... but the issue of soldiers running to Sudan and surrendering to the Sudanese is not the case.”