Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Nasreddin Allam dismissed as baseless reports that Egypt would set up a national supreme authority for the Nile. "Reports about setting up a supreme authority for the Nile are mere fabrications. We just urge local and international media to consider accuracy when reporting about Egypt's water policies and deals with the Nile Basin countries so as not to harm the Egyptian stance in negotiations," Allam said Thursday. He added that publishing such "false" reports would damage the relations with the Nile Basin countries and could lead to political rifts with them. "The Egyptian Government spearheaded by President Hosni Mubarak are exerting great efforts on the Nile water file," Allam stated. An agreement between Egypt and Sudan in 1959 allowed Egypt 55.5 billion cubic metres of water each year – 87 per cent of the Nile's flow – and Sudan 18.5 billion cubic metres. Some of the Nile Basin countries say past treaties are unfair and they want an equitable water-sharing agreement that would allow for more irrigation and power projects. Therefore, Ethiopia said on Tuesday that it would go ahead with a new deal with six other countries on sharing the waters of the Nile. It Egypt of "dragging its feet" on a more equitable treaty. The new agreement replaces a 1929 colonial-era treaty between Egypt and Britain, which gave Egypt veto power over upstream projects. The country also has access to most of the water from one of the world's longest rivers. "Ethiopia and six other countries in east and central Africa will sign on May 14 a framework agreement on the equitable utilisation of the River Nile water," Ethiopian government spokesman Shimelis Kemal told reporters. Minister Allam warned these seven Nile Basin countries against inking the deal, which excluded Egypt and Sudan. "If Nile Basin countries unilaterally sign a water-sharing agreement, it will be in violation of international law and the Nile Basin initiative which was signed in 1959," Allam said. "Egypt will not be committed to this agreement, which will not be legal," he added. Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda agreed to the new deal on April 13, only to be shunned by both Egypt and Sudan – the river's two largest consumers.
