"Positive" meeting between military leaders

The first meeting between military leaders from Ethiopia and Eritrea since the new border was announced was hailed as “positive and relaxed” by the UN on Monday.

Brigadier-General Yohanes Gebremeskel from Ethiopia and Eritrea’s Brigadier-General Abrahaley Kifle met in Djibouti within the framework of the Military Coordination Commission (MCC). According to a statement by the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), both countries were praised for their encouraging reaction to the border ruling, issued in The Hague earlier this month.

The two military leaders have been meeting regularly under the MCC, which is chaired by UNMEE, as part of the peace-building process following the two-year border war. This was the 13th meeting of the MCC, and the sides held an initial discussion on how best to implement the border ruling as well as its military and security implications.

The meeting was chaired by UNMEE Force Commander Major-General Patrick Cammaert. Brigadier-General Peter Augustine Blay represented the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was credited with brokering the December 2000 peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

According to the statement, Cammaert congratulated both sides on the ruling, saying their reaction to the decision had been "very positive". Blay "commended the armed forces of both parties for their professionalism and good discipline on the ground".

The MCC was also told that since the border ruling on 13 April, the situation in the 25-km buffer area, known as the Temporary Security Zone, had remained calm and stable.

It also emerged that aerial photography of the border had begun on 20 April. Weather permitting, the photography should take four to seven days. Field workers will go in after the photography has been completed to physically mark out the border.

The MCC was now planning to meet more regularly to address issues related to implementing the decision, the statement said. The 14th meeting will take place in Djibouti on 10 May.