Ethiopia is unhappy about the border ruling

Officials of the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (Unmee) accused Ethiopian forces of making incursions into the UN-protected buffer zone between it and Eritrea.

But Ethiopia said its soldiers had been playing football in the 25km (15 mile) wide zone and were simply looking for a better pitch.

A spokesman for the Ethiopian Information Ministry attacked the UN's comments as inappropriate, saying they had increased tension on the border.

Unmee is taking the football incident very seriously instead of trying to solve the major problem between the two parties Zemedkun Tekle Ethiopian information ministry

"Unmee has repeatedly asked both parties to get closer and open talks," Ethiopian Information ministry spokesman Zemedkun Tekle said.

"But now it is strictly trying to stop an unarmed Ethiopian army from playing football inside the temporary security zone (TSZ) and taking the incidents very seriously instead of trying to solve the major problem between the two parties."

Under the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed by Ethiopia and Eritrea three years ago, the two countries' armed forces are banned from entering the zone.

But the Ethiopian troops were seen playing football in the TSZ for several hours.

A border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea erupted in 1998.

The two countries signed a peace agreement in 2000 but Ethiopia is unhappy that the border village of Badme, which sparked the war, has been awarded to Eritrea by an arbitration panel.