[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 2000)]
[Page 3023]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Ethiopia-Eritrea Final Peace Agreement

December 7, 2000

    Ethiopia and Eritrea have accepted the invitation of Algerian 
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to sign a final peace agreement in 
Algiers on December 12, building on a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement 
brokered by the United States and the Organization of African Unity last 
June.
    Last week I was able to inform both Prime Minister Meles and 
President Isaias that each leader had confirmed to me his acceptance of 
the text of a final peace agreement. All who have worked for this peace, 
and all who were moved by the costs of the war, congratulate the 
Ethiopian and Eritrean leadership and people for achieving this 
breakthrough.
    This agreement ends the biggest conventional war in the world in 
recent years, in what may be the world's poorest region. It should 
permit these two countries to realize their potential in peace, instead 
of squandering it in war. It should free both countries to concentrate 
on meeting their people's aspirations for democracy and development, as 
their leaders have pledged to do. The United States stands ready to work 
with both countries to consolidate the peace and accelerate their return 
to the urgent task of economic development.
    More than 2 years of effort by the United States and the 
Organization of African Unity went into reaching this final agreement. I 
want to thank my Special Envoy, former National Security Adviser Anthony 
Lake, Gayle Smith of the National Security Council, and Assistant 
Secretary Susan Rice for their untiring commitment and selfless 
dedication to the task. I also wish to extend my personal gratitude and 
congratulations to President Bouteflika of Algeria and his entire 
mediation team.