BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON ERITREA TO STOP BLOCKING UN MISSION'S RELOCATION

BAN KI-MOON CALLS ON ERITREA TO STOP BLOCKING UN MISSION'S RELOCATION New York, Feb 15 2008 5:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to Eritrea to cease obstructing the temporary relocation of the personnel and equipment of the United Nations mission across the border to Ethiopia.

Asmara cut off diesel fuel supplies to the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmee/index.html">UNMEE) last December, paralyzing the operation. Its advance units started moving by road on 11 February, while UNMEE's main body began its relocation yesterday.

But in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11423.doc.htm">statement released by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General said that so far, Asmara has only allowed six vehicles to cross into Ethiopia. In one case, yesterday, "UNMEE personnel were threatened and the equipment seized."

He also voiced concern about the "disturbing" development in which the Eritrean commercial company supplying rations to UNMEE today said that it will no longer fulfil its contractual obligations, leaving the mission with only a few days of emergency food left.

Mr. Ban "is in close contact with the Security Council and the Troop Contributing Countries, and the Eritrean authorities are being contacted at the highest level to seek and immediate resolution of this unacceptable situation," the statement said.
2008-02-15 00:00:00.000

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