Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Minister Nzo reiterates his call to both Eritrea and Ethiopia to redouble their efforts to reach a speedy and peaceful solution to their border conflict. Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo had a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Eritrea, Mr Haile Weldensae in Pretoria today, during which he was comprehensively briefed on Eritrea's border dispute with Ethiopia.
Foreign Minister Nzo was encouraged by his Eritrean counterpart's commitment that his country was ready to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and thereafter to conduct direct negotiations with its Ethiopian neighbour.
Minister Nzo also welcomed the news that, after a recent OAU sponsored fact-finding mission to the region by the Heads of State of Burkina Faso (current Chairman of the OAU), Djibouti and Zimbabwe, followed by their Ambassadors to the OAU, their respective Foreign Ministers would meet in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso, on 1 August 1998 with a view to engaging the Foreign Ministers of Eritrea and Ethiopia in direct talks on 2 August 1998.
Minister Nzo said that "South Africa fully supports this initiative and I appeal to both parties to renew their efforts to create the political will to negotiate a speedy solution to the border conflict".
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 27 JULY 1998