A
ceasefire (or
truce) is a temporary stoppage of a
war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal
treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces.
Historical examples
On December 24, 1914, there was an
unofficial ceasefire as
France, the
United Kingdom, and
Germany observed
Christmas. No treaty was signed, and the war resumed after a few days.
A ceasefire was reached on July 27, 1953, to halt the conflict and establish a
demilitarized zone. However, no
peace treaty has been signed to date, technically leaving
North and
South Korea at war.
Pakistan's
government has repeatedly claimed that
India is violating the
Simla Agreement by constructing a
fence along the
Line of Control. However, India maintains that the fence has decreased armed
infiltration into
Jammu and Kashmir.
Then-
Pakistani President and ex-
Army Chief of Staff Pervez Musharraf promised in 2002 to curb infiltration into
disputed territory.
A more recent example of a ceasefire was announced between
Israel and the
Palestinian National Authority on February 8, 2005. When announced, chief
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat publicly defined the ceasefire as follows: "We have agreed that today
President Mahmoud Abbas will declare a full cessation of violence against
Israelis anywhere and
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will declare a full cessation of violence and military activities against Palestinians anywhere."
See also
