US leverage with Ethiopia key to Eritrea border row

The US is throwing its geopolitical might into breaking the Eritrea-Ethiopia border deadlock but analysts say its only hope is to persuade Addis Ababa to fully accept the deal that ended a murderous war between the Horn of Africa neighbours.

The Americans have to deliver something on the Ethiopian side to be credible, and that is Ethiopia accepting the border decision," said Princeton Lyman, a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria, who also worked in Ethiopia.

See full analysis (Reuters) 15 Jan 2006.