VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #7951 1012229
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 102223Z APR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0000
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0000
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 0000

UNCLAS STATE 037951 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO ET ER
SUBJECT: UNMEE - DRAFT UN RESOLUTION ON TERMINATION 
 
 
¶1. This is an action request.  USUN and Embassy Brussels are 
instructed to share the following draft text for a UN 
resolution terminating the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea 
(UNMEE) with the Belgian Mission to the UN and with 
appropriate officials in Brussels. 
 
Begin Text: 
 
The Security Council, 
 
      Reaffirming all its previous resolutions and statements 
pertaining to the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and 
welcoming the Special Report of the Secretary-General on 
UNMEE (S/2008/226), 
 
Stressing once again its unwavering commitment to the peace 
process, and to the full and expeditious implementation of 
the Algiers Agreements as a basis for peaceful and 
cooperative relations between the parties, and recalling 
paragraph 15 of article 4 of the Peace Agreement of 12 
December 2000 S/2000/1183, in which the parties agreed that 
the delimitation and demarcation determinations of the 
Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) shall be final 
and binding, 
 
Welcoming once again the acceptance by the parties of the 
delimitation decision of the EEBC of 13 April 2002, recalling 
that it acknowledged the Statement of the EEBC of 27 November 
2006, and taking note of the 26th EEBC Report annexed to the 
Secretary-General,s report of 23 January 2008 S/2008/40, 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Stressing that a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the 
dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia regarding their common 
boundary is among the elements essential for normalization of 
their relations, 
 
Recalling the objectives of the Agreement on Cessation of 
Hostilities of 18 June 2000 S/2000/601, in particular to 
create conditions conducive to a comprehensive and lasting 
settlement of the conflict, 
 
Expressing its deep concern about the remilitarization of the 
Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) by Eritrea, the continued tense 
and potentially unstable security situation along the 
Ethiopia-Eritrea border and the adjacent areas, including 
recent provocative activities by Eritrea near Bure, and 
stressing that it is the primary responsibility of the 
Parties to end this situation by fulfilling their obligations 
under the Algiers Agreements, 
 
      Recalling paragraph 52 of the Special Report of the 
Secretary-General on UNMEE S/2008/226, which notes that the 
 
SIPDIS 
two parties bear the primary responsibility to resolve their 
border dispute and should muster the political will to take 
the steps necessary to address the legitimate legal, 
political and security concerns of the other, 
 
      Welcoming the efforts of the Secretary-General and the 
availability of his good offices to facilitate full 
implementation of the agreements that Eritrea and Ethiopia 
have entered into, as expressed in paragraph 55 of the 
Special Report of the Secretary-General on UNMEE S/2008/226, 
 
Underlining that the Security Council remains committed to 
its role, in particular helping to ensure that the parties 
respect the commitments they made in the Agreement on 
Cessation of Hostilities of 18 June 2000 S/2000/601 and the 
Peace Agreement of 12 December 2000 S/2000/1183, to which the 
United Nations is a witness, 
 
Welcoming the continuing engagement of the Witnesses to the 
Algiers Agreements ( Witnesses,) and their efforts to 
resolve the current impasse between Eritrea and Ethiopia, in 
order to promote stability between the parties and lay the 
foundation for sustainable peace in the region, 
 
Strongly condemning  the imposition of restrictions by 
Eritrea on the freedom of movement of UNMEE, as well as 
additional restrictions imposed on the operations of UNMEE, 
including the stoppage of all fuel supplies to the Mission, 
and the obstacles these restrictions posed to the performance 
of its duties, 
 
      Recalling the Statement of its President of 15 February 
2008 S/PRST/2008/7, which strongly condemned the lack of 
cooperation from the Government of Eritrea that not only 
gravely contravenes United Nations Security Council 
resolutions and the Agreement on the Cessation of 
Hostilities, but also fails to comply with Eritrea,s general 
obligation to assist forces that have been stationed with its 
consent, 
 
      Recalling paragraph 47 of the Special Report of the 
Secretary-General on UNMEE S/2008/226, which notes that 
 
SIPDIS 
Eritrea,s military occupation of the TSZ and the 
restrictions it has imposed on UNMEE are a violation of the 
Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, and have undermined 
the very basis of the Mission's mandate. 
 
Commending the efforts made by UNMEE and its military and 
civilian personnel to accomplish its duties, despite the 
difficult circumstances, 
 
Expressing its deep appreciation for the contribution and 
dedication of the troop-contributing countries to the work of 
UNMEE, 
 
      Having considered the Special Report of the 
Secretary-General on UNMEE S/2008/226, 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶1.    Decides that UNMEE,s mandate shall end on 31 May 2008; 
 
¶2.    Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary 
steps to ensure an orderly termination of UNMEE,s operations 
prior to the end of UNMEE,s mandate, to include the 
withdrawal from Ethiopia and Eritrea of all UNMEE personnel 
and of all UNMEE equipment not otherwise disposed of by UNMEE; 
 
¶3.    Condemns the imposition of restrictions by Eritrea on 
UNMEE which prevented UNMEE from executing its mandate and 
compelled temporary relocation from the TSZ, and demands that 
Eritrea cooperate fully with the safeguarding and withdrawal 
of UNMEE,s personnel and equipment from its territory, 
including by making appropriate arrangements to ensure the 
safekeeping of United Nations-owned equipment (UNOE) and 
contingency-owned equipment (COE) pending its withdrawal, and 
expresses its intention to consider measures under Article 41 
of the Charter of the United Nations in the event that the 
Eritrea fails to provide such cooperation; 
 
¶4.    Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security 
Council regularly updated on the process of withdrawing UNMEE 
and to report without delay any failure by Eritrea to comply 
with the Security Council's demand in paragraph 3; 
 
¶5.    Deplores recent activity by Eritrea in Bure which 
threatens to destabilize the situation, and urges both sides 
to show maximum restraint, to refrain from any threat or use 
of force against each other, to avoid provocative military 
activities, and to end the exchange of hostile statements in 
the interest of peace; 
 
¶6.    Reiterates its call on Eritrea and Ethiopia to maintain 
their full commitment to the Agreement on Cessation of 
Hostilities, and to de-escalate the situation, including by 
respecting the TSZ, reducing the number of military forces 
and heavy equipment near their common border, and returning 
to the 16 December 2004 levels of deployment; 
 
¶7.    Underlines that Eritrea and Ethiopia bear the primary 
responsibility for achieving a comprehensive and lasting 
settlement of the border dispute and normalizing their 
relations, and demands that they take immediately concrete 
steps in order to complete the process launched by the Peace 
Agreement of 12 December 2000 S/2000/1183 by implementing the 
delimitation decision of the EEBC and enabling demarcation of 
the border; 
 
¶8.    Strongly supports the ongoing efforts by the 
Secretary-General and the international community to engage 
 
SIPDIS 
with Eritrea and Ethiopia to facilitate normalization of 
their relations, to promote stability between the parties, to 
lay the foundation for a comprehensive and lasting settlement 
of the dispute, and urges the parties to accept the 
Secretary-General,s good offices; 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶9.    Requests the Secretary-General to engage with the 
parties on how the UN might most effectively facilitate 
implementation of agreements that the parties have entered 
into and what United Nations presence in the area would be 
most effective, especially along their common border, drawing 
from the four options recommended in paragraph 54 of the 
Special Report of the Secretary-General on UNMEE S/2008/226; 
 
¶10.   Requests the Secretary-General to issue a report by May 
15 that sets out the details of the outcome of his 
consultations with the parties and specific proposals agreed 
upon with them concerning the United Nations role and 
presence, and expresses its intention to consider further 
steps in light of this report; 
 
¶11.   Calls on Member States to provide contributions to the 
Trust Fund, established pursuant to Resolution 1177 (1998) 
and referred to in Article 4 (17) of the Peace Agreement of 
12 December 2000; 
 
¶12.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. 
 
End text. 
RICE