Ethiopia rejects UN map

Ethiopia has rejected a UN map of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) at the disputed border, which was designed to separate the Ethiopian and Eritrean forces and facilitate the UN peacekeeping mission. Ethiopian Foreign Affairs spokesman Yemane Kidane said the map was “incorrect and therefore cannot be accepted by the Ethiopian government”, the BBC said on Wednesday. He said the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) should withdraw it immediately and “come up with a new one”. According to Kidane, there were two main points on the map that were of concern to the Ethiopian government. Firstly, the Bure (12.36N 42.16E) front, near Assab port, in the eastern sector, included eight kilometres of Ethiopian territory which should not be in the TSZ, as they were “positions Ethiopia occupied before the war”, the BBC said.

Secondly, Kidane questioned a 12 km-deep zone in the northern area of Irob, and said it should be 25 km, as dictated by the artillery range distance.

Kidane said the map violated the Algiers peace agreement signed by Ethiopia and Eritrea, which halted the two-year war that began in May 1998.

When the map was presented, UNMEE spokesman Chris De Bono said it in no way prejudged or prejudiced the outcome of the commission working on establishing the final borders, and appealed for both parties to “live with it” in order to create confidence, and keep the forces apart. Establishing the boundaries on the disputed border had been one of the main obstacles in the peace process, diplomatic sources said.