Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed today that his country "has not threatened any military action" against Ethiopia during the past 6 years, against the background of the dispute between the two countries over the operations of filling the Renaissance Dam.
These statements coincide with Addis Ababa's announcement of what it called a "new defense strategy" and Cairo accusing it of "a policy of escaping from dialogue", after she submitted a complaint about negotiations to fill the dam to the Security Council.
Diplomatic sources in the council revealed to the island that France - which holds its rotating presidency - will bring up the Renaissance Dam issue for discussion at a later meeting today.
In an interview with the Associated Press, the Egyptian Foreign Minister stated that "Egypt has never threatened military action against Ethiopia during the past 6 years, and has not even indicated indirectly this possibility."
"We sought a political solution and we worked to convince the Egyptian people that Ethiopia has the right to build the dam to achieve its development goals."
"Clear" actions
But in return, Shukry stressed that Egypt would take "clear and explicit" measures in case the UN Security Council failed to return Ethiopia to negotiations on the dam.
In the same context, Shukri called on the United States and other members of the Security Council, in addition to African countries, to help reach an agreement that would "guarantee the interests of the three countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan)".
"The responsibility of the Security Council is to address any threat related to international peace and security, and certainly that unilateral actions taken by Ethiopia in this regard will constitute such a threat," he added.
And Cairo announced - earlier today - its readiness to immediately resume the Renaissance Dam negotiations, in case Addis Ababa abides by its international pledges not to unilaterally.
Egyptian request
Last Friday, Egypt submitted a request to the Security Council regarding the "stumbling" of the Ethiopian dam negotiations, while calling in a later speech to accelerate the discussion of its request in the council, and demanded that it "intervene with a view to reaching a fair and balanced solution to the issue of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and not to take any unilateral measures" It may affect the chances of reaching an agreement. "
Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas has announced that his country understands Egypt's resort to the Security Council, but stressed that there is no solution to the dam other than serious negotiation between the 3 parties.
It is noteworthy that the meetings lasted 7 days through television circles, adjourned last Wednesday between Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum, in the presence of observers from the European Union, South Africa and the United States, without reaching an agreement.
Ethiopia plans to start filling the Renaissance Dam in this rainy season, which coincides with next July, in return for a Sudanese-Egyptian refusal to fill it with a unilateral decision.