Border commission begins hearing cases

The border commission charged with reaching mutual agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea on the demarcation of their common border began hearing the cases of the two countries in the Hague on Monday. The deputy ambassador at the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi told IRIN on Tuesday that the Eritrean Foreign Minister Ali Sayyid Abdallah had addressed the panel yesterday and that the presentation of the Eritrean case would continue today. "By the end of today Eritrea's case will have been heard," said the deputy ambassador. Ethiopia will present its case on Thursday and Friday.

The border commission was established following the cessation of hostilities and latterly the peace agreement signed between Ethiopia and Eritrea as a means of establishing a final and binding agreement on the demarcation of their border. Both sides have agreed to accept and not in any way challenge the commissions findings. "This is the final stage of the hearings," the Eritrean deputy ambassador told IRIN. "After the hearings the border commission will deliver its verdict on the boundary in February and this will be a binding decision." The meeting will continue until December 21.