New York, 30 April: The Security Council this evening expressed its readiness to assist Ethiopia and Eritrea to overcome the current stalemate concerning their borders. In a statementread out by Council President Dumisani S. Kumalo of South Africa, the Council said a decision "on the terms of a future engagement in Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as the future of the Mission, would be taken in the light of consultations with the parties."
However, the Council stressed that the primary responsibility for achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the border dispute and normalizing relations between the countries rested with the parties themselves."The Security Council urges both sides to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other and calls upon the parties to address forthwith the unresolved issues in accordance with the commitments made in the Algiers Agreements," the President said.
The Council also noted that the continuation of Eritrea's obstructions towards United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) had undermined the basis of the Mission's mandate and compelled UNMEE to temporarily relocate. The Council recalled its previous condemnation of Eritrea's lack of cooperation.