Frontier quiet as Ethiopia deliberates on ceasefire

The Ethiopian/Eritrean frontier remained quiet today (Monday), government sources in both countries confirmed. Consultations were held in Addis Ababa to determine the next step after what the Ethiopian government called a “total victory for operation sunset,” on Friday. “Deliberations are going on to allow the government to take a stand on whether or not it will declare a ceasefire,” Ethiopian government spokesperson Salome Tadesse told IRIN today. Eritrea accepted an OAU peace plan on Saturday and said that the “ceasefire depends on Ethiopians, since they are the ones putting up conditions.” Eritrean government spokesman Yemane Ghebre Meskel told IRIN Ethiopia had not scored a victory since Eritrea lost few soldiers or equipment in the offensive and “no single Eritrean was captured”. “They made territorial gains but we destroyed 40 tanks, captured 171 prisoners in the four days of intensive fighting,” he said. “We killed and wounded thousands of their soldiers.” The conflict has displaced thousands, killed and maimed many and led to destruction of property. The OAU has called for an immediate end to the fighting now that the two countries have accepted its blueprint for peace, press reports said.