United Nations Security Council Resolution 1586 – Situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia

Resolution 1586 (2005)

The Security Council,

Reaffirming all its previous resolutions and statements pertaining to the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the requirements contained therein,including in particular resolution 1560 (2004) of 14 September 2004,

Stressing its unwavering commitment to the peace process, including throughthe role played by the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),and to the full and expeditious implementation of the Comprehensive peaceagreement signed by the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea (hereinafter referredto as “the parties”) on 12 December 2000 and the preceding Agreement on theCessation of Hostilities of 18 June 2000 (S/2000/1183 and S/2000/601, respectively,hereinafter referred to as the “Algiers Agreements”), and the delimitation decisionby the Boundary Commission of 13 April 2002 (S/2000/423), embraced by theparties as final and binding in accordance with the Algiers Agreements,

Welcoming the Secretary-General’s determination that UNMEE has been ableto maintain the integrity of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ),

Expressing concern regarding the recent high concentration of Ethiopia troops in the areas adjacent to the TSZ,

Recalling that lasting peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as in theregion cannot be achieved without the full demarcation of the border between the parties,

Seriously concerned with the Commission’s decision to take immediate steps to close down its field offices, due to the lack of progress made in the demarcation of the border, as reflected in the 16th report on the work of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission of 24 February 2005,

Expressing concern about Ethiopia’s ongoing rejection of significant parts of the Boundary Commission’s decision, and its current lack of cooperation with the Commission, including the refusal to participate in the meeting of 22 February2005,

Expressing disappointment about the continuing refusal of Eritrea to engage with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea, whose good offices represent a concrete opportunity for both parties to move the peace process forward,

Recalling the recent increase in United Nations peacekeeping activities and the need to allocate peacekeeping resources in the most effective manner, and recalling in this regard the additional burden caused by the delays in the demarcation process,

Welcoming Eritrea’s unconditional acceptance of the Boundary Commission’sdecision,

Welcoming Ethiopia’s Five point proposal of 25 November 2004,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/142) and welcoming the observations made therein,

1. Decides to extend the present mandate of UNMEE until 15 September2005;

2. Calls on both parties to refrain from any increase of troops in the area adjacent to the Temporary Security Zone, to give serious consideration to returning to the 16 December 2004 levels of deployment and more generally, to refrain from any threat of use of force against each other;

3. Calls on both parties to cooperate fully and expeditiously with UNMEE in the implementation of its mandate, to ensure the security of all UNMEE staff, and to remove immediately and unconditionally all restrictions on and impediments to the work and to the full and free movement of UNMEE and its staff;

4. Takes note of positive developments in some areas of relations betweenUNMEE and both parties, and in this regard urges Eritrea to take immediate steps,in consultation with UNMEE, towards implementing the direct flights between Addis Ababa and Asmara; also calls upon Eritrea to reopen the Asmara to Barenturoad;

5. Stresses that Ethiopia and Eritrea have the primary responsibility for theimplementation of the Algiers Agreements and the decision of the Eritrea-EthiopiaBoundary Commission and calls upon both parties to show leadership to achieve afull normalization of their relationship, including through political dialogue for theadoption of further confidence-building measures and to consolidate progressachieved so far, by making full use of the existing framework of the Boundary Commission;

6. Reiterates its call on the parties to cooperate fully and promptly with the Boundary Commission and to create the necessary conditions for demarcation to proceed expeditiously, including through the complete appointment by Ethiopia ofits field liaison officers;

7. Calls on Ethiopia without preconditions to start the implementation of demarcation, by taking the necessary steps to enable the Commission to demarcate the border completely and promptly;

8. Expresses its concern at the worsening humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea and the implications this could have for the peace process and calls on Member States to continue to provide prompt and generous support for humanitarian operations in Ethiopia and Eritrea;

9. Reiterates its full support for the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy forEthiopia and Eritrea, Lloyd Axworthy, in his efforts to facilitate the implementationof the Algiers Agreements, the decision of the Boundary Commission andnormalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries through his goodoffices, and emphasizes that this appointment does not constitute an alternative mechanism;

10. Calls on Eritrea to accept the good offices of the Secretary-General and cooperate with his Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea;

11. Calls on the witnesses to the Algiers Agreements to play a more concerted and active role to facilitate their full implementation;

12. Decides to continue monitoring closely the steps taken by the parties inthe implementation of their commitments under the relevant resolutions of theSecurity Council and under the Algiers Agreements, including through the boundary Commission, and to review any implications for UNMEE;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to monitor the situation closely, to review the mission’s mandate in the light of progress made in the peaceprocess and changes made to UNMEE;

14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 5139th meeting, on 14 March 2005.