NEW YORK (Halbeeg) – Djibouti is seeking to resolve its border dispute with Eritrea peacefully following the recent historic peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea after over 20 years of hostility.
Last year Djibouti accused neighboring Eritrea of occupying disputed territory along their border after Qatar which had been mediating the two nation withdrew its peacekeepers.
Djibouti’s U.N. ambassador, Mohamed Siad Doualeh, asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter to work with the Security Council to bring his tiny port nation and Eritrea lasting solutions to end the dispute.
“We urge U.N. to support Djibouti’s efforts with the aim of facilitating an agreement between the two neighbouring countries upon a mutually acceptable means of peaceful dispute settlement,” reads the letter in part.
He said Djibouti’s preference would be to refer the dispute “to judicial settlement or arbitration” that would be legally binding.
Doualeh pointed out that Djibouti’s neighbouring country has continuing amassing forces in disputed areas.
“Eritrean forces continue to occupy Djiboutian territory, prisoners of war remain unaccounted for, threats of force continue to emanate from the Eritrean side and the risk of violent confrontation is once again high,” Doualeh said
Doualeh said Djibouti will “consider in good faith any proposals that you or the Security Council might make with regard to the appropriate means of peaceful dispute settlement.
Clashes broke out between the Horn of Africa countries in June 2008 after Djibouti accused Asmara of moving troops across the border.
The dispute triggered several days of fighting in which a dozen Djiboutian troops died and dozens were wounded.
Eritrea had initially denied making any incursions, accusing Djibouti of launching unprovoked attacks.
Qatar which had good relations with both Djibouti and Eritrea deploy its troops on the borderline in Djiboutian territory to de-escalate the situation.
The Arabian Peninsula nation had been trying to resolve the territorial dispute between the two African states until last year when Qatar withdrew its troops from the border of the two countries.
The decision by Qatar to withdraw its troops comes as the Gulf emirate is locked in a bitter dispute with Saudi Arabia and its allies over alleged ties to Islamist extremists, a charge it denies.
Both Djibouti and Eritrea have taken their side in the Gulf split and supported the move of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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