UN still awaiting demarcation date

The UN peacekeeping force in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) said on Friday it was still awaiting the date for demarcation of the two countries' contested border. “We are ready to start as soon as we are told that demarcation is ready to go ahead. But the decision is not ours," UNMEE spokeswoman Gail Bindley Taylor Sainte told IRIN. “The only people with the key to when demarcation starts is the EEBC and the two parties,” she added. The independent Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) is responsible for demarcation of the 1,000 km-long border. It must agree with both Ethiopia and Eritrea when positioning of the two metre high border pillars will begin. Demarcation is scheduled to start this month. But diplomatic sources close to the peace process told IRIN it was unlikely the process – which has already been delayed twice – will start as planned. Ethiopia has insisted that while it is happy to let demarcation take place in the eastern sector of the border region, it does not accept the ruling in other areas. But Eritrea is opposed to partial demarcation and says the ruling – announced in April 2002 – should be implemented in full. UNMEE will play a key role in demarcation by monitoring the security situation on the ground and ensuring pillar sites are free from landmines. Eritrea has refused to engage in dialogue with Ethiopia until after demarcation is completed. The only direct talks that take place are at the Military Coordination Commission (MCC) meetings between senior-ranking military officials of the two countries under UN auspices. The next MCC meeting is due to take place on 5 November. Western diplomatic sources in Addis Ababa say it is likely that an MCC meeting would be needed before demarcation to help “iron out” any problems.