Eritrea Condemns Denial Of Its Right To Address Security Council

The United Nations Security Council late Friday extended its “fully support” to Qatar’s mediation, under the auspices of H.H. the Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, between Djibouti and Eritrea, and welcomed their signing of an agreement aimed at resolving their two-year old border dispute.

“The members of the Security Council are encouraged by the willingness of the parties to resolve their border dispute peacefully, in full compliance with the provisions of relevant Security Council statements and resolutions, and in accordance with the United Nations Charter,” council President Claude Heller of Mexico told reporters on behalf of the other members.

The members also called upon both parties to engage in the mediation process “fully and in good faith, to refrain from the use or the threat of use of force and to abide by their commitments” under the agreement, and to solve their dispute and normalize their relations for the overall stability and security in the region.

The leaders of Eritrea and Djibouti signed a deal last week vowing to pursue a negotiated settlement to their dispute.

The deal ends the conflict that erupted in early 2008 when, after weeks of tensions and military build-up, the two countries’ armed forces clashed over an un-demarcated area in the Red Sea known as Doumeira, killing 35 people and leaving dozens of others wounded.

Earlier this week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also issued a statement welcoming the deal and expressing confidence that it will “contribute to long-term peace and stability” in the region.