TIGRAI Online

Press Statement

Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has today transmitted a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea by which the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia notifies the State of Eritrea of its material breaches of the Algiers Agreements and of Ethiopia’s entitlement to invoke the breaches as grounds for considering its legal and peaceful options, including terminating the Agreements or suspending their operation in whole or in part.

The Minister has also transmitted a copy of Ethiopia's Notification to the President of the United Nations Security Council, to the United Nations Secretary General, to the other Witnesses of the Algiers Agreements--the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Foreign Minister of Algeria, the Secretary of State of the United States, and the Foreign Minister of Portugal in his capacity of the Presidency of the European Union.

In his letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council, to the United Nations Secretary General, to the other Witnesses to the Algiers Agreements, the Foreign Minister explained that the Notification is a long overdue formal legal measure with a specific purpose of putting Eritrea on notice that unless Eritrea returns into compliance with the Agreements, its material breach would force Ethiopia to consider its peaceful and legal options under international law. Indeed, the central objective of the Notification is to urge Eritrea to fulfill its obligations under the Algiers Agreements.

The Minister also stressed that despite Ethiopia's scrupulous observance of its obligations under the Agreements and in particular, despite Ethiopia's readiness to demarcate the boundary on the basis of the delimitation decision of the EEBC, Eritrea has shown no willingness to be in compliance with the Algiers Agreements. In fact, as repeatedly reported by the UN Secretary General to the Security Council, including in his Report of 18 July 2007, Eritrea has almost fully occupied the Temporary Security Zone. Eritrea has made repeated public threats against Ethiopia. It has imposed severe restrictions on UNMEE. Eritrea has also been coordinating the activities of terrorist groups to destabilize the region. For all these compelling reasons, it has become imperative that Ethiopia reminds Eritrea of its responsibilities under the Algiers Agreements.

The Minister also transmitted to the parties mentioned above, detailed explanations underlining Ethiopia's commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes and its willingness to engage Eritrea in sincere, good faith discussions of any matters which may constitute barriers to normal relations pursuant to the Algiers Agreements and to that end to cooperate with the Witnesses to the Algiers Agreements and other members of the international community.