Egypt says that targeting its water resources is a red line

The Egyptian presidency affirmed on Thursday that it would not allow anything to affect Egypt’s portion of the River Nile, nor would it accept any criticism concerning such a significant issue.

An International Tripartite Commission about the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will be issued on Saturday. The presidency said it would deal with the issue based on the conclusion of that report.

In a press conference with senior Egyptian officials, presidency spokesman Ihab Fahmi said that damage to Egypt’s historical portion of the River Nile is unacceptable. He noted that Ethiopia have pledged Renaissance Dam will not cause any destruction.

Fahmi said that Egypt is carrying out marathon discussions around the issue aimed at reaching an agreement that guarantees the interests of both the Egyptians and Ethiopians.

The spokesman affirmed that all the state’s institutions are well aware of all issues regarding the Dam. He confirmed that Egypt is able to protect its national security regarding water.

He also said that the president held a meeting with the Foreign Minister and the Water Resources and Irrigation Minister. They discussed the relationship between the project of the Ethiopian Dam and Egyptian national security.

Fahmi said that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi also held another meeting with the Defence and Interior Minister and the director of general intelligence regarding the Dam. They studied all possible effects of the Dam and all measures that can be implemented to avoid them.