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Ethiopia plays down war talk

Written by Administrator

Tuesday, 27 November 2007

Addis Ababa - Three days before a deadline for demarcating their disputed border, Ethiopia said on Tuesday it had no plans for another bout of fighting with arch-foe Eritrea but would crush any attempt by Asmara to invade.

Tensions between the Horn of African neighbours have ratcheted up in recent weeks with the approach of the November 30 deadline set by an independent border commission to physically mark their disputed frontier.

"Ethiopia has no reason to launch another war against Eritrea. Our intention has always been to resolve al outstanding border problems with Eritrea through peaceful means," Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told parliament.

"Should Eritrea launch another war, we will make certain that Asmara would never, ever dream of even entertaining or thinking about war again," he said.

Asmara and Addis Ababa have been locked in a dispute over their shared frontier since a 2002 ruling by an independent border commission gave Eritrea the key town of Badme.

The commission was set up by a peace deal ending a 1998-2000 border war killing about 70 000 people.

Commission 'fed up'

Ethiopia initially rejected the ruling, but now says it accepts it but wants more talks with Eritrea. Asmara rejects calls for dialogue, saying it wants full implementation.

Last November, the commission said it was fed up by the lack of progress with the border and gave both nations one year to make moves to mark the frontier or it would fix it on maps.

Analysts have warned of possible renewed hostilities between the two nations as the deadline approaches.

But both sides say they have no desire to go to war.

The United Nations says Eritrea and Ethiopia have moved thousands of troops and heavy weapons to the 1 000km frontier since the border commission gave its deadline.

The world body and the United States have urged both nations to show restraint.

Analysts say the border deadlock has been complicated by a war in Somalia where Eritrea is accused of backing Somali insurgents battling Ethiopian and Somali government troops.

In the past month, Asmara has repeatedly accused Addis Ababa of planning to invade.

On Tuesday, Meles said Eritrea was using rebels in Somalia to distract Ethiopia for an invasion from the north.

'Crushed rebel groups'

"Eritrea's intention was that when rebels and terrorists it supports penetrate into Ethiopian territory from Somalia and create confusion, it was planning to invade the country from the north," Meles said.

"But we have crushed the rebel groups who were fighting a proxy war for Eritrea and as such its plan to invade us fizzled out."

Eritrea has accused Ethiopia of planning to invade. Both sides deny the others' claims.

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