ERITREA: UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN VISITS UN PEACEKEEPERS MONITORING CEASEFIRE ALONG ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BORDER

Record ID: 222687

  • Title: ERITREA: UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN VISITS UN PEACEKEEPERS MONITORING CEASEFIRE ALONG ETHIOPIA-ERITREA BORDER
  • Date: 8th December 2000
  • Summary: ASMARA, ERITREA (DECEMBER 8, 2000) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. SV UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN ARRIVES AT ASMARA AIRPORT 0.06 2. SV ANNAN WALKING WITH ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAYAS AFERWERKI INTO BUILDING 0.12 3. SV PULL IN MCU (English) KOFI ANNAN UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL, SAYING: "First of all I want to thank the president for his very warm words of welcome, and to say that I rejoice with him, I rejoice for the people of Eritrea, I rejoice for the people of Ethiopia and the region that this war is over and we are now hoping that we are now going to be signing the agreement on the 12th of December in Algiers, the peacekeepers are already on the ground, they are deploying very rapidly and the demarcation process will begin." 0.47 4. CU UNITED NATIONS FLAG 0.50 ADI KEYH, ERITREA (DECEMBER 8, 2000)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. SLV UNITED NATIONS HELICOPTER LANDING IN ADI KEYH 0.56 6. MCU KOFI ANNAN WELCOMED BY UNITED NATIONS SOLDIERS 1.05 7. SV GREETING DANCERS, ANNAN WAVING (2 SHOTS) 1.16 8. SV CHILDREN SINGING UNDER BANNERS NO WAR YES PEACE 1.23 9. SV OF CROWDS SINGING (2 SHOTS) 1.33 10. MCU (English) ANNAN, SAYING: "It was an unnecessary war, a war which could have been avoided, but now its over, now we have peace." 1.43 11. SLV OF UNITED NATIONS SOLDIERS 1.54 12. SV KOFI ANNAN INSPECTS GUARD OF HONOUR 2.07 ASMARA, ERITREA (DECEMBER 9, 2000) ( REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 13. MCU (English) JEAN-MARIE GUEHENNO, UNITED NATIONS UNDER SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, SAYING: "Well, I think here in Asmara we are seeing the beginning of a success story and I think that we are all happy that the peace agreement is going to be signed in a few days in Algiers, this would not have been possible I think without the very strong involvement of the UN." 2.26 14. SLV ASMARA MAIN STREET (2 SHOTS) 2.34 15. MCU VOXPOP (English) (Male), SAYING: "I am happy about the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, just only happy. And then to the future, I want the development of Ethiopia and Eritrea, industrial and I am so happy." 3.03 16. CU/LV ITALIAN UNITED NATIONS SOLDIERS ARRIVING AT ASMARA AIRPORT (2 SHOTS) 3.14 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ASMARA/ADI KEYH, ERITREA
  • Country: Eritrea
  • Reuters ID: LVA4K418RNWOYC9YLELGCV2D4319
  • Story Text: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has
    visited the first batch of UN peacekeepers monitoring a
    ceasefire along the frontier of former allies turned foes
    Ethiopia - Eritrea, a few days before the formal peace
    agreement was due to be signed on Tuesday 12th December.



    After being welcomed by Eritrean President Isayas
    Aferwerki, Annan said, "First of all I want to thank the
    president for his very warm words of welcome, and to say that
    I rejoice with him, I rejoice for the people of Eritrea, I
    rejoice for the people of Ethiopia and the region that this
    war is over and we are now hoping that we are now going to be
    signing the agreement on the 12th of December in Algiers, the
    peacekeepers are already on the ground, they are deploying
    very rapidly and the demarcation process will begin."
    In a meeting with Aferwerki, Annan said that after the
    signing in Algiers on Tuesday (December 12), focus would turn
    to the redrawing of the colonial borders which led to the
    conflict.

    He flew by UN helicopter to the Eritrean border town of
    Adi Keyh and received a colourful welcome from residents who
    have only started to return to the town after the fighting.

    In his brief address he told them to forget the war and
    consolidate peace. "It was an unnecessary war, a war which
    could have been avoided, but now its over, now we have peace,"
    he said.

    The United Nations Secretary-General later inspected a guard
    of honour mounted by Dutch UN soldiers and visited their
    camp.

    The United Nations played a integral part in achieving
    peace in the region and according to Jean-Marie Guehenno, the
    Under-secretary for peacekeeping affairs the signing will be a
    culmination of a long peace process.

    "Well, I think here in Asmara we are seeing the beginning
    of a success story and I think that we are all happy that the
    peace agreement is going to be signed in a few days in
    Algiers, this would not have been possible I think without the
    very strong involvement of the UN," he said.

    His sentiments are echoed on the Red Sea nations streets.

    "I am happy about the peace agreement between Ethiopia
    and Eritrea, just only happy. And then to the future, I want
    the development of Ethiopia and Eritrea, industrial and I am
    so happy," said one Asmara resident.

    The United Nations troop deployment, when completed, will
    have about 4,200 soldiers from various countries to monitor
    the 1,000 Kilometres (600 Miles) border between the two horn
    of Africa nations.


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