S/PV.5778 Security Council

The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2007/645, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on Ethiopia and Eritrea. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council. "The Security Council stresses the importance of the commitment of both Ethiopia and Eritrea to lay the foundation for sustainable peace in the region and, aware of the responsibilities of the United Nations under the Algiers Agreements, remains determined to encourage and assist both countries in attaining this objective. "The Security Council underscores the acceptance without preconditions by both Ethiopia and Eritrea of the final and binding delimitation decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC). "The Security Council urges the parties to take concrete steps to implement immediately and without preconditions the delimitation decision of the EEBC, taking into account the parties' commitments regarding the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) as expressed at the EEBC meeting of 6-7 September 2007 and to comply fully with the Algiers Agreements and prior Security Council resolutions and statements of its President, including on the issue of demarcation. "The Security Council calls upon the parties to refrain from using force and to settle their disagreements by peaceful means, to normalize their relations, to promote stability between them and to lay the foundation for sustainable peace in the region. "The Security Council confirms the parties' primary responsibility to resolve the border issue and their other differences, and expresses its readiness to endorse the commitments made by both parties with respect to demarcation and normalization. "The Security Council strongly supports the Secretary-General in any efforts to facilitate these processes. "The Security Council commends and fully supports the continuing operations of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), underscores the importance for the parties to provide UNMEE with the necessary access, assistance, support and protection required for the implementation of its mandate and welcomes the ongoing efforts by the Secretary-General towards the earliest appointment of a Special Representative." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/ 2007/43. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 6.55 pm. 07-59593