Disagreement on map causes “concern”

Disagreement on the part of Ethiopia and Eritrea over the parameters of the final map of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) remains a source of concern, the UN Secretary-General said in his report to the Security Council on 5 September. The report said Ethiopia considered the map unacceptable because in its view an eight-kilometre-wide pocket at the eastern end of the eastern sector should be returned to Ethiopia, and that the zone should be uniformly 25 km wide, which is not the case in the central sector, north of the Irob area. Eritrea has rejected the map on the basis of its being a departure from the proposals originally presented to the parties on 30 January 2001, and says the map cannot be fully established until Eritrean concerns over the southern boundary have been addressed. However, both countries had continued to show “respect” for the TSZ by basing their operations on it, the report noted. Eritrea had nevertheless manifested its objections to the TSZ in its refusal to cooperate on other issues with UNMEE, the report said. Another concern over the TSZ was the failure of Eritrea to provide UNMEE with necessary information on the local militia and police inside the zone. UNMEE said it estimated that 6,800 Eritrean militia and 3,000 police were currently deployed in the TSZ. The estimated number of militia had risen, although that of the police had remained fairly constant, the report said. Despite the urging of UNMEE for Eritrea against deployment of police and militia close to the southern boundary, such deployment had led to tensions. “UNMEE has recorded and protested several violations by the police and militia of the protocol agreement on the presence of police and militia in the TSZ.” Freedom of movement for UNMEE had been restricted at times by both Ethiopia and Eritrea, the report noted.