Egypt says "amazed" by Ethiopia's Nile remarks
23 November, 2010 | By Amena Bakr and Dina Zayed (Reuters)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
* Ethiopia said Egypt would not win a war over Nile
* Nile-dependent Egypt says wants cooperation
* Egypt dismisses charge that backing Ethiopia rebels
Egypt said it was "amazed" by Ethiopia's suggestion on Tuesday that
Cairo might turn to military action in a row over the Nile waters,
saying it did not want confrontation and was not backing rebels there.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Reuters on Tuesday that
Egypt could not win a war with Ethiopia over the River Nile and that
Cairo was supporting rebel groups in an attempt to destabilise the
Horn of Africa nation.
"I'm amazed ... by the language that was used. We are not seeking
war and there will not be war," Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit
told Reuters during a visit to Abu Dhabi.
His ministry said in a statement issued in Cairo: "The charges that
Egypt .. is exploiting rebel groups against the ruling regime in Ethiopia
are completely devoid of truth."
Egypt, almost totally dependent on the Nile and threatened by climate
change, says the Nile waters feed a farm sector accounting for a third
of all jobs. Cairo is wary of dam construction in upstream countries
that could affect flows.
Ethiopia has built five huge dams on the Nile in the last decade and
has begun work on a $1.4 billion hydropower facility.
Under the original pact Egypt is entitled to 55.5 billion cubic metres of
water a year, the lion's share of the Nile's total flow of around 84
billion cubic metres, despite the fact that some 85 percent of the water
originates in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya signed a new deal to
share the waters in May.
In the statement that was e-mailed to Reuters, Foreign Ministry
spokesman Hossam Zaki said it was "regrettable" that Ethiopia and
other states had sought a new agreement.
"Egypt is firmly behind its legal and political positions on the issue of
the Nile water," Zaki said, adding that Egypt had pursued dialogue
and cooperation on the use of the Nile's water.
The five signatories of the new deal have given the other Nile Basin
countries one year to join the pact before putting it into action. Sudan
has backed Egypt while Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Burundi have so far refused to sign.
The Egyptian spokesman added "We understand the frustrations of
the Ethiopian party over the difficulties facing the Nile Basin
agreement and initiative."
Egyptian Water Minister Mohamed Nasreddin Allam held talks in
Cairo on Tuesday with Burundi officials on irrigation and other
cooperation, his ministry said in a statement.
The Arab world's most populous nation fears population growth may
outstrip water resources as early as 2017. (Editing by Tim Pearce)
Courtesy
23 November, 2010 | By Amena Bakr and Dina Zayed (Reuters)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
* Ethiopia said Egypt would not win a war over Nile
* Nile-dependent Egypt says wants cooperation
* Egypt dismisses charge that backing Ethiopia rebels
Egypt said it was "amazed" by Ethiopia's suggestion on Tuesday that
Cairo might turn to military action in a row over the Nile waters,
saying it did not want confrontation and was not backing rebels there.
- Egypt, Ethiopia
and seven other
countries
through which
the river passes
have been
locked in more
than a decade of
contentious talks
driven by anger
over the
perceived
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Reuters on Tuesday that
Egypt could not win a war with Ethiopia over the River Nile and that
Cairo was supporting rebel groups in an attempt to destabilise the
Horn of Africa nation.
"I'm amazed ... by the language that was used. We are not seeking
war and there will not be war," Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit
told Reuters during a visit to Abu Dhabi.
His ministry said in a statement issued in Cairo: "The charges that
Egypt .. is exploiting rebel groups against the ruling regime in Ethiopia
are completely devoid of truth."
Egypt, almost totally dependent on the Nile and threatened by climate
change, says the Nile waters feed a farm sector accounting for a third
of all jobs. Cairo is wary of dam construction in upstream countries
that could affect flows.
Ethiopia has built five huge dams on the Nile in the last decade and
has begun work on a $1.4 billion hydropower facility.
Under the original pact Egypt is entitled to 55.5 billion cubic metres of
water a year, the lion's share of the Nile's total flow of around 84
billion cubic metres, despite the fact that some 85 percent of the water
originates in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya signed a new deal to
share the waters in May.
In the statement that was e-mailed to Reuters, Foreign Ministry
spokesman Hossam Zaki said it was "regrettable" that Ethiopia and
other states had sought a new agreement.
"Egypt is firmly behind its legal and political positions on the issue of
the Nile water," Zaki said, adding that Egypt had pursued dialogue
and cooperation on the use of the Nile's water.
The five signatories of the new deal have given the other Nile Basin
countries one year to join the pact before putting it into action. Sudan
has backed Egypt while Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Burundi have so far refused to sign.
The Egyptian spokesman added "We understand the frustrations of
the Ethiopian party over the difficulties facing the Nile Basin
agreement and initiative."
Egyptian Water Minister Mohamed Nasreddin Allam held talks in
Cairo on Tuesday with Burundi officials on irrigation and other
cooperation, his ministry said in a statement.
The Arab world's most populous nation fears population growth may
outstrip water resources as early as 2017. (Editing by Tim Pearce)
Courtesy
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| Previous Stories Is a water war on the horizon over the Nile River? By Gwynne Dyer East African nations to challenge colonial Nile treaty By Mike Pflanz Ethiopian Government and opposition parties unite in Nile water agreement By Yohannes Anberbir Kenya finally signs new Nile accord NTV Kenya Four African countries sign new Nile treaty By Ben Simon (AFP) The Fate of the Nile Basin Initiative after May 14th.2010 By Professor Ali Abdalla Ali Egypt and Sudan continue to argue over the Nile By Matt Bradley Whose water is it? By Gamal Nkrumah Swimming Upstream Will investments in Nile basin countries be enough to quiet the debate on water resources? By By Maher Hamoud As Ethio-Egyptian Accord Takes Effect, Al Ahram Rubs Salt On Old Wounds By Genet Mersha Eyeing Abyssinia By Gamal Nkrumah |
| Ethiopians want more from sacred Nile waters By Aaron Maasho Egypt and Thirsty Neighbors Are at Odds Over Nile By Thanassis Cambanis (New York Times) On the Nile, Egypt cuts water use as Ethiopia dams for power By Jeffrey Fleishman and Kate Linthicum Energy and Security Issues in the Red Sea Transforming as "the Age of Gas" Begins in Earnest By Michael Bagley Mubarak pledges to keep Nile water in Egypt Al-Masry Al-Youm Egypt extends olive branch in Nile river row By Barry Malone (Reuters) Abul Gheit: No clash with Nile countries Al-Masry Al-Youm Cairo and Khartoum challenged By Reem Leila (Al-Ahram Weekly) Nile basin states water Ministers to meet in Ethiopia next week By Tesfa-Alem Tekle |
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INTERVIEW-Ethiopian PM warns Egypt off Nile war
23 November, 2010 (Barry Malone) - "Meles said he was not
happy with the rhetoric coming from the Egyptians but dismissed the
claims of some analysts that war could eventually erupt.
"I am not worried that the Egyptians will suddenly invade Ethiopia,"
Meles told Reuters in an interview. "Nobody who has tried that has
lived to tell the story. I don't think the Egyptians will be any different
and I think they know that...More
23 November, 2010 (Barry Malone) - "Meles said he was not
happy with the rhetoric coming from the Egyptians but dismissed the
claims of some analysts that war could eventually erupt.
"I am not worried that the Egyptians will suddenly invade Ethiopia,"
Meles told Reuters in an interview. "Nobody who has tried that has
lived to tell the story. I don't think the Egyptians will be any different
and I think they know that...More