Ethiopia committed to implementation of EEBC's delimitation decisions: Meles

Addis Ababa, July 17(ENA)-- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has expressed his convictions that the ensuing demarcation processes of the Ethio-Eritrean boundary would proceed smoothly.

In a press conference he gave on Tuesday after receiving the Top World Peace Prize and an honorary doctoral degree in Political Science from the Hannam University, Korea, Meles said Ethiopia would remain committed to the actual implementation of the Ethio-Eritrean Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decisions.

He said the meeting that convened in the Hague on Tuesday was intended to develop modalities about the demarcation of the boundary on the basis of the EEBC's ruling.

" I hope and expect that a workable arrangement for the demarcation process will be developed in the Hague," Meles said.

The prime minister has also expatiated on issues related to the Ethio-Eritrean peace process, exchange of Prisoners of War (POWs), the situation in Somali as well as the Ethiopia-UNMEE relations and the return of the Axum obelisk, among others.

Regarding the Ethio-Eritrean border dispute, Meles has expressed Ethiopia's unflinching commitment in helping establish durable peace irrespective of the qualities of leadership in Asmara.

" What I can assure is that as far as Ethiopia is concerned, the war is over. It is over and won't come back. That is the fundamental thing, " Meles said.

He, however, said the demarcation process should be completed and the basic requirements should take place prior to considering normalization of relations with Eritrea.

Asked about Asmara's conspiracy with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Meles said the verified facts have indicated that the Eritrean government was trying to wreck havoc in Ethiopia by training OLF affiliated military groups.

Nevertheless, Meles said, Ethiopia will manage each issue in a manner that it enhances peace rather than jeopardizes it.

With regards to the disruption of the exchange of POWs between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Prime minister said the stumbling block was the lack of response on the part of the Eritrean government to Ethiopia's request to what happened to an Ethiopian pilot who was downed in Asmara.

" We haven't yet been told about the whereabouts of the Ethiopian pilot, Col. Bezabih Petros, who was captured alive and shown on the Television in Asmara, " he said.

Responding to the question about the situation in Somalia, Meles said peace in Somalia was not only in the interest of the Somali people but also in the interest of everybody in the region.

" The stateless situation in Somalia is thus the source of enormous risk for all of us in the region, " Meles noted.

He said stateless countries have evidently become heavens for terrorism and all sorts organized crimes.

According to Meles, the Ethiopian government has been closely working with all partners of Somalia and the Somalia people themselves to seek a durable peace in the that country for the past 10 years.

" We shall continue to do so irrespective of whether our good will is given due recognition," he said.

Concerning the return of the Axum Obelisk, Meles said the issue was not whether the Italian government can return it or not, the issue is whether Italy is able to live up to its own obligations or not.

Meles said the Ethiopian government still hopes and expects that Italy would honor its international obligations.

According to the prime minister, Ethiopia would continue to appeal to the Italian government, the Italian people and peoples of good conscience across the globe to help retrieve the looted property.

Commenting on the allegation on Ethiopia's "soared " relations with UNMEE, Meles said, " We haven't had serious problems with UNMEE as an institution in the past or now, but with some of the individuals within the UNMEE."

This, Meles noted, is very different from having problems with UNMEE as an institution.

Commenting on the latest Economic Report on Africa (ERA 2002), Meles said Ethiopia's growth rate of 5-6 percent of GDP is inadequate, as the entire goal was to grow much more than that in a bid to reduce the endemic poverty in the country.

Meles has also stressed the need to brace up in the fight against HIV/AIDS, which he said is a deadly threat to the socio-economic development of the country.

(END)