UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.N. Security Council held consultations Friday on the U.N. Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and received a briefing on the mission by Azouz Ennifar, the acting head of that mission.

    Ennifar discussed recent developments and presented the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's latest report on UNMEE.

    In that report, the secretary-general said that U.N. peacekeepers in Eritrea are facing serious difficulties in sustaining their operations and reliable communications, because they have not received any fuel from suppliers in Eritrea since Dec. 1, 2007.

    The latest fuel shortage has forced U.N. peacekeepers to cut back on key operational activities, including patrols, de-mining and administrative support to regional locations and team sites.

    In light of this and some 45 other restrictions on U.N. peacekeepers, the secretary-general recommends a one-month technical roll-over of the mandate of the mission.

    The U.N. chief said he will review developments on the ground and the challenges facing the Mission, and prepare specific recommendations on the future direction of the mission, including possible withdrawal or relocation.

    He added that the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia remains very tense, as the parties continue to move troops along their shared borders.