Egypt: No breakthrough in Kinshasa talks on GERD

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CAIRO, April 6 (KUNA) -- Egypt on Tuesday announced that the round of talks hosted by the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, on April 4-5 on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) did not make progress and that the parties didn't reach a deal on the return of negotiations.Ethiopia rejected a Sudanese demand, supported by Egypt, on the formation of a quartet led by Congo as head of the African Union to mediate between the three countries - Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.During the meeting, Ethiopia refused all Egypt's proposals and alternatives backed by Sudan in order to develop the negotiation process so as to enable the countries and participating parties in the talks as observers to be involved in the negotiations and take part in proposing solutions to the technical and legal issues, it added. In addition, Ethiopia rejected another Egyptian proposal during the closing session with the aim of resuming negotiations led by Congo's President and in participation of the observers in line with a negotiating mechanism, it added.This shows resilience and responsibility of both Egypt and Sudan and their serious desire to reach a deal on the dam, it noted, blaming Ethiopia for the failed talks.The statement pointed out that "the Ethiopian side was stubborn and refused to return to negotiations," describing this stance as "obstructive and will complicate the dam crisis and escalate tensions in the region". (end) rg.amm.hm MENAFN06042021000071011013ID1101872117