It added that it will commence the first filling of the GERD in parallel with the construction of the dam, in accordance with the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, and causing no significant harm.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Ethiopia cannot start filling the GERD until "an agreement is reached with the downstream countries."
"Egypt desires to see Ethiopia follow the path of negotiations," Shoukry said in an interview with the Egyptian TV Program "9 O'clock PM" on Monday night.
He explained that Ethiopia pledged in the Declaration of Principles, signed by Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in March 2017, not to start filling the dam until an agreement is reached on the operation rules.
He highlighted that no side, based on the rules of international law and the Declaration of Principles, is allowed to take unilateral decisions regarding transboundary rivers.
Ethiopia, an upstream Nile Basin country, started building the GERD in 2011 on the Blue Nile, while downstream Egypt is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of Nile water.
Filling the reservoir, whose total capacity is 74 billion cubic meters, may take several years. Egypt seeks to prolong the period to avoid the negative effects of water shortage, which is a main point of the talks.
The GERD is expected to produce over 6,000 megawatts of electricity and become Africa's largest hydropower dam upon completion.
【国际英语资讯:Egyptian, U.S. presidents discuss ways to settle Nile Dam dispute】相关文章:
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