§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the recent unrest in Eritrea and Ethiopia and (b) the violation of the air moratorium. [74278]
§ Mr. Tony LloydFighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea resumed on 6 February, with subsequent violation of the US brokered air moratorium of June 1998.
A full scale Ethiopian attack on the disputed town of Badume was reported in the week beginning 22 February. The Ethiopian Government spokesperson announced on 28 February that their forces had captured Badume. Recent reports suggest that Ethiopian forces have now established defensive positions around Badume: within Eritrean territory.
Eritrea accepted the Organisation of African Unity Framework Agreement on 27 February: Ethiopia accepted the proposals in November. The Security Council welcomed this in a Presidential statement the same day. We are urgently considering with our international partners how to support the OAU in obtaining a cessation of hostilities and full implementation of their proposals.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ethiopian Government on their policy of mass deportation of Eritreans, and Ethiopians of Eritrean descent. [74279]
§ Mr. Tony LloydI, our Ambassador in Ethiopia, and officials in London have consistently told the Ethiopian government that we expect them to uphold their international human rights obligations, including in respect to the deportations of Eritrean citizens or Eritreans by descent, as a result of its border conflict with Eritrea.
I raised the matter of human rights in Ethiopia when I met the Ethiopian Foreign Minister in Addis Ababa on 26 February. He assured me that the Ethiopians want a constructive dialogue with us on human rights. I shall pursue this assurance vigorously.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to appoint a British ambassador to Eritrea. [74277]
§ Mr. Tony LloydOur Ambassador to Ethiopia is accredited as non-resident Ambassador to Eritrea.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposal that a neutral force should administer disputed territory on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. [74276]
§ Mr. Tony LloydThe Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in its Framework Proposals of 7 November included a recommendation that United Nations supported OAU military observers should supervise the redeployment of Ethiopian and Eritrean forces in Badume and assist the restored civil administration in that area.
The UN Security Council has not yet discussed the issue of international peacekeeping on the Ethiopia/Eritrea border. But we are ready to consider support for a greater UN/OAU role, and other measures to promote a lasting peace.