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Anthony Lake, Special Envoy for Ethiopia and Eritrea Press Briefing at the Presidential Palace December 12, 2000, Algiers, Algeria As released by the Office of the Spokesman U.S. Department of State

QUESTION: What are the key steps to make sure this agreement [Eritrean-Ethiopian peace agreement] sticks? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: First of all, I am convinced it will stick. One of the reasons why it has been a very difficult negotiation is that each side is committed to making it stick and therefore they wanted to make sure that every detail was in place and to their satisfaction. So, while it was difficult, it was also an encouraging sign that once they reached an agreement, they would implement it. Secondly, they have implemented to the letter the cessation of hostilities agreement that we worked out last June. So, I believe they will. Also, the UN mission, the UNMEE as it's called, is deploying well and rapidly, under very competent leadership, and should be completely deployed by February. That's been going very smoothly, and that would help make sure it's implemented also. I think there's one very significant thing about this agreement in an African context. That is that, as Secretary General Annan has pointed out, one of the underlying causes of conflict in Africa is the "winner take all" political culture in Africa in which, since you don't dare lose, you have to win completely. What's significant in this agreement is that they have finally agreed to impartial processes to decide the demarcation of their border and claims by their own citizens against the other side. I would hope that this then becomes a precedent for elsewhere in Africa in which people learn to accept less than complete victory and commit themselves to processes that are fair, and whose outcome is not determined from the start. QUESTION: Is there a particular conflict that you have in mind, at this point? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: I think it's true everywhere because it is the essence of democracy -- leaving Florida aside (laughter) -- which is, in an internal democratic process, if you're going to determine a conflict through democratic principles, then you have to be prepared to commit your future to a process that involves a decision by the electorate. In that sense, it's really no different. The reason it's not a perfect model is that this is unusual in that it is a war between states rather than within one. But I think it's the same. As a question of political will, it's the same. QUESTION: A number of Ethiopians and then Eritreans have been displaced along the border because of this conflict. What's going to happen to them as a result of this peace treaty? Are they eventually going to return to their homes? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: That, absolutely, we'll be working on. The United Nations will be working on rehabilitation, returning people to their homes. The United States will be supporting that as well. It's very important. QUESTION: Is that part of the treaty or is that something you'll be working on? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: The peace treaty establishes the context for it, and one section calls for assistance in rehabilitation and resettlement. QUESTION: What time frame are we talking about? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: The first step is, after the UN Peacekeeping Force mission is completely deployed, is to see the redeployment of the Ethiopian troops from the temporary security zone, and the temporary security zone will remain in place until the border is demarcated, which could be a process of somewhere between, I would guess, a couple of years to three or four years. We're working on it now, but as soon as the temporary security zone is established, then such efforts can get stepped up. And again, we need to do this - we need to follow up now on the peace agreement with very serious international support for rehabilitation efforts. Because what is at stake here is not just the welfare of those people whose lives have been terribly damaged by all of this, but we need to show the world that African solutions are possible, and that when the Africans do it right, as the two governments have now shown the political will to do, the international community will support them in making real progress. QUESTION: Did they come to an agreement because of political will, or because they were so sick of fighting? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: I noticed on trips out here, and I think we're up to 15 [trips] now to the continent over the past two years, that whereas a year to a year and a half ago when I would talk to people outside government, it was generally simply very hostile towards the other side. Then about a year ago, you could see them shifting towards, on either side, saying 'we just want peace.' And I think that the political will the government showed was a reflection of growing popular sentiment in favor of achieving peace. QUESTION: What do you think of the fact that the Ethiopians had a successful offensive just before the June agreement? SPECIAL ENVOY LAKE: I think that the damage that was done on each side was the primary influence here, but obviously the form of the cessation of hostilities was influenced by military events on the ground. But these are very, very proud people on each side and neither side was going to be forced militarily into doing something they didn't want to by the other. [end of document] Official Texts | African Affairs | Department of State | Secretary of State