Demarcation and Technical Advisors

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Zeru Hagos
(Aigaforum, 03/12/06)

The Ethio-Eritrea debacle is entering a new phase. The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) is fully engaged primarily because the US wants to close this issue once for all. Apparently the US embarrassed by the events in Iraq and the brewing potential conflict with Iran is in no mood to allow PM Meles and President Isayas Afeworki to start another war.

The word is the US has told in no uncertain term President Isayas Afeworki to either sit down with Ethiopia and talk about the border impasse or face the full wrath of Ethiopia in the event he starts another war. The US has told president Isayas that his only option is to sit down and discuss pretentious issues with the help of a Technical Advisor. Ethiopia seems to have acquiesced to having a technical advisor to determine where the line of demarcation should pass.

In fact the five point proposal prime minister forwarded a year ago calls for such body. What is new this time is that the US may have convinced President Isayas Afeworki it is now or never! According to Martin Plaut of BBC the Eritrean regime may have accepted the now option. Word has it Eritrea is ready to negotiate the exact location of the final pillar location based on the technical advisor’s input. It is to be recalled Ethiopia has all along accepted in principle the Algeries Agreement. What Ethiopia has been complaining is the Algeries agreement was meant to bring lasting peace and lasting peace can not be attained if the demarcation is to be effected as it is.

The international community has finally realized Ethiopia’s request as a genuine one and the only way to have peace in the region is for the two government to sit down and talk it out which piece of land belongs to Eritrea and which one belongs to Ethiopia. According to sources the Technical Advisors will assume such role.

Though the process of demarcation may have commenced it is believed the process will take considerable time. And no one for sure knows what the future holds. According to sources the technical advisors will not commit another huge mistake similar to the EEBC but there is always a danger Shaibea may renege its commitment. Ethiopia on its part is hoping this time around the international community and specially the US will not allow the process to derail. Ethiopia’s stand has been people living around the border area must have the final say and no town and no neighbor hood must be split.

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