The new force commander of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) has arrived in the Eritrean capital Asmara to take up his new functions, an UNMEE statement sent to AFP here said Monday.
The statement said that Major-General Patrick Cammaert of the Netherlands, who was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on November 1, arrived in the Ethiopian capital late on Saturday.
According to the statement, Cammaert told a press conference on his arrival that the peacekeeping force would soon be deployed with 200 military observers and 4,000 troops from at least two dozen nationalities.
"All are committed to the task ahead and ready to work with the people and governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea to bring about a lasting peace," Cammaert said.
The general noted that the military observers already on the ground were reporting good cooperation from both of the parties, saying: "I am confident that we will quickly build on this firm foundation."
UNMEE's Force Commander will lead the up to 4,200-strong peacekeeping force, which the UN Security Council has charged with monitoring the two countries' security agreements, while political negotiations continue in the effort to reach a lasting settlement of the dispute.
Prior to his new appointment, Cammaert was Commander of the Multinational United Nations Standby Forces High Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG) based in Copenhagen, a post he has held since December 1999 -- NAIROBI (AFP)
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