Ethiopia Accuses Eritrea Of Intransigence In Talks
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) - Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said Tuesday that Eritrea's "intransigent behavior" had blocked last week's peace talks in Algeria, national radio reported.
The talks, aimed at finalizing a ceasefire deal between the Horn of Africa neighbors, "failed to move forward the peace process owing to the intransigent behavior of the Eritrean government," Seyoum said.
Ethiopia and its former province, Eritrea, signed a deal in June ending two years of cross-border hostilities. The deal included undertakings to work towards a permanent ceasefire and a full peace accord.
Talks were held in Algiers under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) from Monday to Friday last week. Seyoum headed the Ethiopian delegation.
He accused Asmara of setting out "unacceptable conditions" which had led the peace process to an impasse.
An Ethiopian government spokesman said Monday that Addis Ababa had called for a reduction in the Eritrean military capacity, for international arbitrage to determine the border between the two countries and for compensation for property lost during the war.
Asmara rejected these calls Ethiopia has claimed.
Seyoum said Tuesday that he had also asked the Eritrean authorities to repatriate some 30,000 Ethiopians currently staying in more than 30 camps in Eritrea
International mediation is to resume in just over two weeks with diplomats shuttling between Addis Ababa and Asmara to "pave the way for the resumption of the talks," the radio said.
