NEWS RELEASE - Thursday, January 21, 1999

EU AND ITALY BACK OAU PEACE PLAN

In response to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s plea for EU nations to step up the pressure for peace on Eritrea, the European Union and Italy has reiterated their full support for the peace proposals put forward by the Organisation of African Unity to end the border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

A statement issued by the presidency on 18 January on behalf of the EU said that it also fully supported the efforts and commitment of the OAU to resolve the conflict. The EU urged both parties to co-operate with the mediation efforts and to accept the framework agreement in order to achieve a peaceful negotiated settlement of their conflict in all its aspects.

It is of primary importance that the OAU proposals for a framework agreement are accepted and put into practice without further delay, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Italy has also expressed its full backing for the proposals of the OAU High Level Delegation and has urged Eritrea to accept them in order to avoid a disastrous conflict. As the former colonial power, Italy intends to step up the efforts to encourage peace.

Ethiopia has fully accepted all peace proposals which have been put forward in the last eight months whilst Eritrea has rejected them.