FAAE Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade met at 9:06 a.m. this day, in Room 371 West Block, the Chair, Bernard Patry, presiding.

The witness made a statement and answered questions.

The Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Alexa McDounough, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Trade agrees to report the following:

Concerned about the ongoing tensions along the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border which jeopardizes the tenuous peace reached with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on December 12, 2000 in Algiers;

Welcomes the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, created by Article 4.2 of the Algiers Agreement, to demarcate the disputed border between the two countries;

Mindful that following Article 4.5 of the Algiers Agreement, the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission are binding on both parties of the conflict and are final;

Agrees with the April 13, 2002 decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission to grant the disputed town of Badme to Eritrea;

Aware of the controversial nature of the Badme decision and the catalyst role of this settlement in the initiation of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea;

Alarmed over Ethiopian failure to fully comply with, and accept, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s recommendations, especially with regards to the town of Badme;

Concerned that the destruction during the war, the current stalemate in the peace process, and the cumulative effects of drought have dealt a serious blow to the Eritrean economy, reducing that country’s capacity to cover food requirements through imports;

Appreciative of the leadership role that Canada has played in the United Nations mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), including the deployment of peacekeepers to the region at the cessation of hostilities;

Recognizes the efforts of Lloyd Axworthy, UN Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa;

Calls on the government of Canada to increase the pressure on the Government of Ethiopia to accept, in full, the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, including the decision of the town of Badme;

Proposes that the Government of Canada forcefully indicate to the Government of Ethiopia that our future cooperation would heavily depend on Ethiopia’s acquiescence to the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission;

Suggests that the government of Canada offer incentives, in terms of developmental aid and other assistance such as help in the demobilization of their respective armies, to the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, if they live up to their obligations under the comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Algiers, especially with regards to the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission provisions;

Suggests that the government of Canada offer assistance under UN auspices, to the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia to help in the demobilization of their respective armies.

By unanimous consent, on motion of Alexa McDounough, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended to read as follows:

That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Trade agrees to report the following:

Concerned about the ongoing tensions along the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border which jeopardizes the tenuous peace reached with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on December 12, 2000 in Algiers;

Welcomes the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, created by Article 4.2 of the Algiers Agreement, to demarcate the disputed border between the two countries;

Mindful that following Article 4.5 of the Algiers Agreement, the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission are binding on both parties of the conflict and are final;

Agrees with the April 13, 2002 decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission to grant the disputed town of Badme to Eritrea;

Aware of the controversial nature of the Badme decision and the catalyst role of this settlement in the initiation of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea;

Alarmed over Ethiopian failure to fully comply with, and accept, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s recommendations, especially with regards to the town of Badme;

Concerned that the destruction during the war, the current stalemate in the peace process, and the cumulative effects of drought have dealt a serious blow to the Eritrean economy, reducing that country’s capacity to cover food requirements through imports;

Appreciative of the leadership role that Canada has played in the United Nations mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), including the deployment of peacekeepers to the region at the cessation of hostilities;

Recognizes the efforts of Lloyd Axworthy, UN Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa;

Calls on the government of Canada to increase the pressure on the Government of Ethiopia to accept, in full, the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, including the decision of the town of Badme;

Proposes that the Government of Canada forcefully indicate to the Government of Ethiopia that our future cooperation would heavily depend on Ethiopia’s acquiescence to the recommendations of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission;

Suggests that the government of Canada offer incentives, in terms of developmental aid and other assistance such as help in the demobilization of their respective armies, to the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, if they live up to their obligations under the comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Algiers, especially with regards to the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission provisions;

Suggests that the government of Canada offer assistance under UN auspices, to the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia to help in the demobilization of their respective armies;

Recognizes that Ethiopia’s five-point peace proposal is a step in the right direction;

Concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in both countries and that maintaining the current state of no peace and no war will result in as many as half a million additional Eritreans and fourteen million additional Ethiopians, living in poverty by the year 2010;

Supports an extension of the UNMEE mandate to September 15, 2005;

Calls on the government of Canada to encourage Eritrea to meet with Dr. Axworthy;

Calls on the government of Canada to urge Eritrea and Ethiopia to consider seriously returning their troops to the levels of deployment which existed previous to mid-December, 2004;

Calls on the government of Canada to engage other countries in searching for a peaceful way to end the boundary dispute, including the witnesses of the Algiers Agreement.

Debate arose on the motion as amended.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — That the debate be now adjourned until the next meeting of the Committee.

Stockwell Day moved, — That, in the opinion of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the government should send a monitoring team to Ethiopia to observe and to report on the general elections to be held there on May 15, 2005, and that the Chair report the same to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — That the debate be now adjourned until the next meeting of the Committee.

At 10:57 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.