Tension rising ahead of border decision

Tension is rising "considerably" between Ethiopia and Eritrea, according to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid provocative actions. In his latest progress report to the Security Council, he noted that each side was accusing the other of military build-up in the demilitarised Temporary Security Zone (TSZ), set up last year after a two-year border war between the two countries. Annan rejected accusations by both sides that the UN peacekeeping mission for Eritrea and Ethiopia, UNMEE, was pursuing a policy of "appeasement" towards reported violations in the TSZ. Ethiopia has lately stepped up accusations against Eritrea of troop deployment in the buffer zone. But Annan said that despite Eritrea's lack of cooperation in providing UNMEE with information on its militia and police presence in the TSZ, "it is important to stress that the mission, on the best information available, has found no evidence of any significant military build-up". On Monday, Eritrea strongly rejected accusations by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin of a troop build-up in the zone and of supporting the radical Islamist organisation, al-Ittihad. The absence of mutual confidence "leaves the relationship between the two countries in a potentially volatile situation", Annan warned. "When each suspects the worst of the other, relatively small incidents can quickly lead to an otherwise avoidable escalation." One of UNMEE's major concerns is lack of access to northern areas adjacent to the TSZ and Annan said this must be resolved. Eritrea defends its stance by stipulating that according to the peace agreement, UNMEE has freedom of movement within the 25 km area of the TSZ, most of which is in Eritrean territory. Extending the area would enlarge the buffer zone to 40 km and encroach on Eritrea's sovereignty, which it says is not part of the agreement. But, Eritrea says, that with prior notification UNMEE's requests to visit adjacent areas can be met. According to the UN, while this measure does not entirely meet UNMEE requirements for freedom of movement, it provides a useful modus operandi for monitoring Eritrea's redeployed forces. "This will allow the mission to speak with greater authority when responding to both Ethiopian allegations and the concerns of the international community," Annan said in his report. The increase in tension comes as the two countries are presenting their cases for border demarcation to the Boundary Commission at the International Court in The Hague. The verdict, to be issued in February, will be final and binding to both sides. Annan stressed he hoped the two sides would accept the Commission's ruling. "Efforts must now be directed at creating the right climate for the forthcoming decision on delimitation of the Boundary Commission," he said. He acknowledged that the demarcation process would be a "rather complex, large and costly enterprise".