Urges Eritrea to take immediate steps, in consultation with UNMEE towards implementing the direct United Nations flights between Addis Ababa and Asmara and to reopen the Asmara to Barentu road to UNMEE traffic,

Furthermore, the road from Asmara to Barentu, via Keren, remained closed to UNMEE traffic.

This took place in Asmara and was facilitated by a British non governmental organization (NGO).

Though the Government of Ethiopia had agreed to allow United Nations aircraft to fly directly from Addis Ababa to Asmara, as Eritrea had previously insisted upon, UNMEE has still not received any positive response from the authorities in Asmara.

As mentioned in my previous report, severe restrictions imposed by the Eritrean authorities on UNMEE military police in Asmara continued in spite of the Mission's protests, which went unheeded.

Early in March, he travelled to Asmara together with his Principal Deputy to meet with the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki, and the leadership of SLM A and JEM.

With regard to the issue of a direct flight route between Asmara and Addis Ababa, I regret to report that UNMEE aircraft must continue to fly via a third country.

In the east, UNMIS continued discussions with the Eastern Front leadership in both Asmara and Khartoum, and with the Sudanese Government, urging them to start talks at the earliest opportunity.

Following a new eruption of violence in the eastern Sudan in June, UNMIS undertook several visits both to the east and to Asmara for discussions with the Eastern Front leadership.

On 27 March, my Special Representative met with the First Vice President of the Sudan, Ali Osman Taha, to discuss the meetings in Asmara and the Darfur peace process more generally.

With regard to the issue of a direct flight route between Asmara and Addis Ababa, I regret to have to report again that UNMEE aircraft must still fly via a third country.

Despite my appeals to the Government of Eritrea, however, the vital road from Asmara to Barentu, via Keren, has remained closed to UNMEE traffic, and there is no indication that it could be reopened in the near future.

From there, I went to Asmara to consult with President Afwerki and all the Darfur groups the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), as well as with the Beja Congress and the Rashaida Free Lions of eastern Sudan.

A group of 10 field commanders, representing different tribal groups, and 3 representatives from Minawi's office in Asmara arrived in Abuja on 25 September 2005, stressing the neutrality of their group in the ongoing disagreement between the SLM A Chairman and Secretary General and promising to promote unity within the movement.

On a related issue, there have been other impediments that UNMEE personnel had to contend with in Eritrea while performing their assigned tasks or in going about their lawful business. These ranged from unwarranted arrests and detention of UNMEE personnel to recent restrictions imposed on the UNMEE military police contingent within the city of Asmara.