S/PV.5380 Security Council

The Security Council will now continue its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I wish to draw the attention of the members to photocopies of a letter dated 22 February 2006 from the representative of the United States addressed to the President of the Security Council, transmitting the Statement by the Witnesses to the Algiers Agreement on 22 February 2006. This letter will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/2006/126. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council welcomes the successful convening of the meeting of the Witnesses to the Algiers Agreements (‘Witnesses’) on 22 February 2006 in New York 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. “The Security Council calls on both parties to show maximum restraint and refrain from any threat or use of force against the other. “The Security Council emphasizes that both parties bear the primary responsibility for the full, unconditional and expeditious implementation of the Algiers Agreements. “The Security Council recalls that under the Algiers Agreements, both Eritrea and Ethiopia have agreed to accept the delimitation and demarcation decisions of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) as final and binding. “In this regard, the Security Council calls on both sides to cooperate with the EEBC to implement its decisions without further delay. “The Security Council urges the EEBC to convene a meeting with the parties to prepare to resume demarcation and strongly urges the two parties to attend the EEBC meeting and to cooperate with and abide by the requirements specified by the EEBC, in order to successfully conclude the demarcation process. “The Security Council commends the role of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and expresses once again its deep appreciation for the contribution and dedication of the troop-contributing countries to the work of UNMEE. “The Security Council demands that the parties permit UNMEE to perform its duties without restrictions and provide UNMEE with the necessary access, assistance, support and protection required for the performance of these duties, including its mandated task to assist the EEBC in the expeditious and orderly implementation of the Delimitation Decision, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1430 (2002) and 1466 (2003). “The Security Council calls on Member States to provide continued support for UNMEE and contributions to the Trust Fund, established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1177 (1998) and referred to in article 4 (17) of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea on 12 December 2000, in order to support the demarcation process.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2006/10. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.