RESOLUTION(1)

on the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Nassau (Bahamas) from 11 to 14 October 1999,

A. deploring the continuation of the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and whereas the cause of the war is the absence of an agreement over the demarcation of the frontier,

B. whereas the conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of victims, refugees and evacuees and has inflicted terrible suffering on the civilian populations of both countries,

C. whereas the populations of both Ethiopia and Eritrea live in miserable conditions in terms of nutrition, health and educational facilities and the war is definitely worsening the prevailing social conditions in the two countries,

D. whereas the OAU has proposed a framework agreement designed to bring the conflict to an end, an agreement which has been accepted both by the Ethiopian Government and by the Eritrean Government,

E. whereas the Heads of State and Government of the OAU meeting in Algiers on 12-14 July have approved the arrangements for the implementation of the OAU framework agreement on the settlement of the conflict, and these arrangements have been accepted by both parties,

F. whereas the OAU presented Technical Arrangements in August 1999, accepted by the Eritrean Government but still to be accepted by the Ethiopian Government,

G. firmly believing that maximum commitment from the entire international community is needed in order to help re-establish a peace process between the two countries,

1. Condemns the continuation of hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia and deeply regrets the heavy loss of human life which has occurred since the outbreak of hostilities between the two countries;

2. Firmly supports the OAU peace package (Framework Agreement, Arrangements for Implementation and Technical Arrangements) which guarantees the peaceful and legal resolution of the conflict;

3. Urges Ethiopia to accept the Technical Arrangements, and both States to end all hostilities, proceed to the signature of a cease-fire agreement and fully implement the OAU peace package;

4. Expresses its full support to the framework agreement and to its arrangements and commends the efforts of the OAU and all those who have supported it to find a peaceful solution to the conflict;

5. Calls on the UN and the OAU to cooperate closely in their common endeavour of ensuring the full implementation of the framework agreement and its arrangements including the deployment of military observers by OAU Member States;

6. Calls on the Council and the EU Member States to be ready to play a part in implementing the OAU's proposal, including the dispatch of a neutral international monitoring force which should be deployed along the border between the two countries;

7. Stresses the role of political forces and civil society in both Ethiopia and Eritrea so as to enable the conflict to be resolved peacefully;

8. Calls on the EU Council to take all necessary measures to prevail on Ethiopia to accept and implement the OAU peace package and to prevent the continued violations of the human rights of ethnic Eritreans living in Ethiopia;

9. Calls on the international community, and on the European Union in particular, to provide adequate emergency assistance to help all populations displaced by the conflict as well as the victims of the mass expulsions and deportations;

10. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the OAU and the United Nations.

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 14 October 1999 in Nassau (Bahamas).