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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 May 1999 Issue No. 430 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 May 1999 Issue No. 430
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Supplement Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Mediating peace in the Horn
By Nevine Khalil
Egyptian officials sounded out the views of Eritrean President Isias Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi during talks in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh this week on ways to end the border conflict in the Horn of Africa.
President Mubarak held talks this week with Eritrean President Isias Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Egyptian efforts are part of other international attempts by the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to contain the year-long war between the two neighbours. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea agreed to the OAU initiative proposed last November in Ouagadougou, which calls for demilitarisation of the border region, the cessation of hostilities and demarcation of the frontier. However, they disagree on the details.
"Time is needed for the situation to crystallise more," said Foreign Minister Amr Moussa on Tuesday following talks between President Hosni Mubarak and Zenawi. "Matters remain difficult." Egyptian officials asserted this week that Cairo was not playing a mediating role in the dispute, but that its efforts are part of the OAU initiative. "What we are trying to do is get the African initiative approved by both sides," Moussa said.
Egypt is trying to bridge the gap between the Eritrean and Ethiopian leaderships by convincing both sides to observe the cease-fire and come to the negotiating table. Moussa said that the continued military operations by the two sides are overshadowing the peace efforts. "It causes the situation to worsen," he said, suggesting that observing the cease-fire is the first step in allowing political channels to forge ahead. "The when and how to resolve the conflict are details left for negotiations," the minister added.
"The Egyptian moves are part of the OAU effort, and not separate," agreed Mubarak's chief political adviser, Osama El-Baz, noting that both sides are using Cairo's good offices and relations to end the conflict. "We have the opportunity to play an active part, and cannot stand with our hands tied in the face of continued fighting between these two sister states," El-Baz said. Moussa affirmed that Mubarak's letters to the leaders of the two countries last week were within the African effort.
As Eritrea's Afwerki arrived in Cairo from Libya last Saturday for talks with Mubarak, Ethiopian jets bombed his country's Red Sea port of Mussawa and other targets on the disputed border. Afwerki accused Ethiopia of launching the raids to undermine ongoing international peace efforts. Eritrea's ambassador to Cairo, Mohamed Mahmoud, expressed hope that Mubarak would play a role in ending the crisis with Ethiopia. Mahmoud added that his country is "willing to attend direct talks anywhere and at any level with the Ethiopian side."
Ethiopia says that Eritrea must withdraw from contested areas it occupied in the first round of the war, but Eritrea says it is only obliged to pull out of the Badme region, which it has already done. According to Moussa, Zenawi told the Egyptian side that the sticking points are withdrawal from "certain points." Moussa, however, did not elaborate. Eritrea became independent in 1993, when it seceded from Ethiopia with Ethiopian approval.
Ethiopia's Zenawi arrived in Cairo only two days after Afwerki left the city, allowing Egypt to hold consecutive first hand talks with the leaders of the two warring countries. However, the likelihood of Zenawi and Afwerki sitting together at the negotiating table any time soon remains remote. "I don't think we have reached this stage yet," Moussa said. "The conflict cannot be resolved in one or two meetings."
During extended talks on Tuesday, Ethiopia's Zenawi presented Egypt with his perspective on the latest developments in his region, and his country's position on ongoing peace efforts. More talks took place yesterday between Mubarak and Zenawi in Sharm El-Sheikh before the Ethiopian Prime Minister left Egypt.
Regarding bilateral issues, Moussa denied reports that tensions were increasing between Egypt and Ethiopia as a result of Addis Ababa's wish to re-negotiate the Nile water treaty. The minister described the reports as "exaggerated out of all proportion," adding that the water issue was not on the agenda during the talks between Mubarak and Zenawi. "There is no crisis about water between us and Ethiopia. There is an understanding, not a misunderstanding," he emphasised. Moussa continued that the water talks between the ministers of irrigation of both countries which took place in Addis Ababa recently were "highly successful," and cooperation between the Ethiopian and Egyptian delegations was "exemplary."
