Situation Report on United Nation Military Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

(Aigaforum 02.23.08):- The United Nation Military Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) has been in paralysis due to the Eritrea regime refusal to cooperate. The Eritrea regime through out the years since the mission was established has tired to undermine the mission presence. The regime has effectively curtailed UNMEE’s mission for some time now. The current report we are getting reads as follows:

After being denied the use of their [UNMEE] helicopters to monitor the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) by the Eritrean regime   the mission was reduced to using land vehicles until now. However the Eritrea regime upped the ante and denied the mission to import or buy fuel within Eritrea territory. This glaring violation of the Algiers agreement was not missed by the UN and the UN immediately protested to the regime to no avail.

The UN after failing to convince the Eritrean regime to lift the embargo asked the Eritrean regime to allow UNMEE forces to move out to the Ethiopian side which Ethiopia was willing to cooperate on a temporary relocation.

 Sources tell us the Eritrean regime was willing to allow the forces to cross to Ethiopia but was not willing to allow the UNMEE forces to take all their hardware and belongings with them. The reason given by the Eritrea regime was that the goods were imported to Eritrea with out paying taxes thus should remain in Eritrea or the UN has to pay taxes.

Irate by such demand the UN secretary went to the UNSC and the UNSC passed another resolution condemning the Eritrean move. Eritrea’s sponsors afraid their darling is about to commit a big blunder sent their emissaries (pashas) to Asmara.

Concerned that Eritrea may be committing a huge diplomatic blunder Egypt sent its pasha to Asmara to share her concern with Isayas Afeworki. Soon after the Eritrea regime issued a report that many consider being a soft retreat. At present the UNMEE forces are regrouping in Assab, Asmara and Ethiopia.

UNMEE forces station in and around Zalambessa were allowed to move to Ethiopia. Those around Senafe and beyond were allowed to move in to Asmara and those in Bure front to Assab.

Ethiopia is not happy about the inability of the UN and UNSC to stop such glaring violation of the Algiers agreement. The Algiers agreement first priority was cessation of hostility and the separation of forces by 25km. Since UNMEE forces are now out of the TSZ completely the TSZ agreement has been violated.

Sources we talked are not sure what will likely happen to the UNMEE forces now station far away from the TSZ in Asmara and Assab but it is likely Egypt will try to teach Isayas Afeworki to play another trick.

Mean time Ethiopia is furious the UNSC is falling to impose sanction on Eritrea.