The World - News from June 14, 1989

Rebels fighting in northern Ethiopia announced acceptance of an offer of peace talks from the government. The Tigre People’s Liberation Front, which earlier this year seized control of virtually all the northern province of Tigre, told a press conference in London it will be ready to start public talks within a month. Berhane Gebre, representing the rebels’ Central Committee, said it had broadcast a message on its own radio station last Sunday accepting President Mengistu Haile Mariam’s initiative to end the fighting. Mengistu made his offer of unconditional talks three weeks after loyal troops crushed an attempted coup by top military officers.