ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) Alpha Oumar Konare has expressed his welcome to the Ethiopian government's accepting "in principle" theEthiopia- Eritrea Boundary Commission (EEBC) decision, according to an AU press release available here Friday.

    Konare also expressed the AU commitment to providing whatever assistance necessary to help the two countries move forward with the implementation of the EEBC decision and the normalization of relations, the release said.

    Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Thursday that hisgovernment has decided to accept the Ethio-Eritrea Boundary Commission decision "in principle."

    Accepting the boundary commission decision in principle to continue cooperation with the commission, continuing dialogue on the border decision on a "give and take" initiative, bringing normalization between the two countries, to continue cooperation with the commission on some remaining issues were among the major issues, which Meles identified as a core issue to peacefully end differences with Eritrea.

    Ethiopia's peace proposal constitutes an encouraging development in the efforts to promote lasting peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as in the region of the Horn of Africa as a whole.

    Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a bloody border war between May 1998 and December 2000. As part of a 2000 agreement to end the war,the two countries agreed to set up an independent boundary commission.

    Ethiopia has been suspended its cooperation with the boundary commission over the last two years, saying that the decision was "unfair and illegal" act.

    Ethiopia rejected the boundary commission's ruling that Badme belongs to Eritrea, effectively stopping a demarcation exercise and keeping the exact location of the border in limbo. Enditem