Security Council resolution 1586 (2005) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)]
Symbol: S/RES/1586(2005)
Date: 2005-03-14
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/60 [152] ERITREA--ETHIOPIA
S/60 [153] UN MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA
Subjects: Axworthy, Lloyd > (Canada)|UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea|Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission|UN. Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Ethiopia and Eritrea|UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea > Terms of reference|Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the State of Eritrea (2000)|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|DEMILITARIZED ZONES|BOUNDARIES|FOREIGN RELATIONS|ERITREA|ETHIOPIA|STAFF SECURITY|FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT|AIR TRANSPORT|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|LIAISON OFFICES|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES|DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS|GOOD OFFICES
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALGERIA
vote: yes
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: BENIN
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: DENMARK
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GREECE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: PHILIPPINES
vote: yes
country: ROMANIA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/1586 (2005)
               Security Council                                              Distr.: General
                                                                             14 March 2005




               Resolution 1586 (2005)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 5139th meeting, on
               14 March 2005

                    The Security Council,
                     Reaffirming all its previous resolutions and statements pertaining to the
               situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the requirements contained therein,
               including in particular resolution 1560 (2004) of 14 September 2004,
                     Stressing its unwavering commitment to the peace process, including through
               the role played by the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),
               and to the full and expeditious implementation of the Comprehensive peace
               agreement signed by the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea (hereinafter referred
               to as “the parties”) on 12 December 2000 and the preceding Agreement on the
               Cessation of Hostilities of 18 June 2000 (S/2000/1183 and S/2000/601, respectively,
               hereinafter referred to as the “Algiers Agreements”), and the delimitation decision
               by the Boundary Commission of 13 April 2002 (S/2000/423), embraced by the
               parties as final and binding in accordance with the Algiers Agreements,
                    Welcoming the Secretary-General’s determination that UNMEE has been able
               to maintain the integrity of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ),
                    Expressing concern regarding the recent high concentration of Ethiopian
               troops in the areas adjacent to the TSZ,
                     Recalling that lasting peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as in the
               region cannot be achieved without the full demarcation of the border between the
               parties,
                     Seriously concerned with the Commission’s decision to take immediate steps
               to close down its field offices, due to the lack of progress made in the demarcation
               of the border, as reflected in the 16th report on the work of the Eritrea-Ethiopia
               Boundary Commission of 24 February 2005,
                    Expressing concern about Ethiopia’s ongoing rejection of significant parts of
               the Boundary Commission’s decision, and its current lack of cooperation with the
               Commission, including the refusal to participate in the meeting of 22 February
               2005,
                    Expressing disappointment about the continuing refusal of Eritrea to engage
               with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea, whose good

05-26991 (E)
*0526991*

S/RES/1586 (2005)


               offices represent a concrete opportunity for both parties to move the peace process
               forward,
                     Recalling the recent increase in United Nations peacekeeping activities and the
               need to allocate peacekeeping resources in the most effective manner, and recalling
               in this regard the additional burden caused by the delays in the demarcation process,
                     Welcoming Eritrea’s unconditional acceptance of the Boundary Commission’s
               decision,
                    Welcoming Ethiopia’s Five point proposal of 25 November 2004,
                    Having considered the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/142) and
               welcoming the observations made therein,
                    1.    Decides to extend the present mandate of UNMEE until 15 September
               2005;
                     2.   Calls on both parties to refrain from any increase of troops in the areas
               adjacent to the Temporary Security Zone, to give serious consideration to returning
               to the 16 December 2004 levels of deployment and more generally, to refrain from
               any threat of use of force against each other;
                     3.   Calls on both parties to cooperate fully and expeditiously with UNMEE
               in the implementation of its mandate, to ensure the security of all UNMEE staff, and
               to remove immediately and unconditionally all restrictions on and impediments to
               the work and to the full and free movement of UNMEE and its staff;
                     4.   Takes note of positive developments in some areas of relations between
               UNMEE and both parties, and in this regard urges Eritrea to take immediate steps,
               in consultation with UNMEE, towards implementing the direct flights between
               Addis Ababa and Asmara; also calls upon Eritrea to reopen the Asmara to Barentu
               road;
                     5.   Stresses that Ethiopia and Eritrea have the primary responsibility for the
               implementation of the Algiers Agreements and the decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia
               Boundary Commission and calls upon both parties to show leadership to achieve a
               full normalization of their relationship, including through political dialogue for the
               adoption of further confidence-building measures and to consolidate progress
               achieved so far, by making full use of the existing framework of the Boundary
               Commission;
                      6.    Reiterates its call on the parties to cooperate fully and promptly with the
               Boundary Commission and to create the necessary conditions for demarcation to
               proceed expeditiously, including through the complete appointment by Ethiopia of
               its field liaison officers;
                    7.    Calls on Ethiopia without preconditions to start the implementation of
               demarcation, by taking the necessary steps to enable the Commission to demarcate
               the border completely and promptly;
                    8.    Expresses its concern at the worsening humanitarian situation in Ethiopia
               and Eritrea and the implications this could have for the peace process and calls on
               Member States to continue to provide prompt and generous support for humanitarian
               operations in Ethiopia and Eritrea;




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                                                                                    S/RES/1586 (2005)


      9.   Reiterates its full support for the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for
Ethiopia and Eritrea, Lloyd Axworthy, in his efforts to facilitate the implementation
of the Algiers Agreements, the decision of the Boundary Commission and
normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries through his good
offices, and emphasizes that this appointment does not constitute an alternative
mechanism;
     10. Calls on Eritrea to accept the good offices of the Secretary-General and
cooperate with his Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea;
     11. Calls on the witnesses to the Algiers Agreements to play a more
concerted and active role to facilitate their full implementation;
     12. Decides to continue monitoring closely the steps taken by the parties in
the implementation of their commitments under the relevant resolutions of the
Security Council and under the Algiers Agreements, including through the
Boundary Commission, and to review any implications for UNMEE;
      13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to monitor the situation
closely, to review the mission’s mandate in the light of progress made in the peace
process and changes made to UNMEE;
     14.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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