“Ethiopia affirmed it wont Budge on the Dam” War Drums on the Nile p4

Egypt’s president has voiced increased concerns in an escalating Nile River dispute with Ethiopia.

Tensions have been rising since Ethiopia announced plans to divert water for a hydro-electricity project.

Ethiopia affirmed it will continue with dam.

Ethiopia dismissed Egyptian talk of military action against a giant dam it is building on the Nile as “psychological warfare”, and said it would defend itself and carry on with the work regardless.

Bellicose rhetoric between two of Africa’s most populous and fastest-growing nations has raised fears of conflict over water, though both sides are also pursuing diplomatic compromise over what would be the biggest hydro electric plant on the continent.

Responding to a speech on Monday by President Mohamed Mursi, in which he said Egypt did not want “war” but would keep “all options open” to avoid losing any water, Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “This sort of bragging won’t divert our attention.”

The spokesman, Dina Mufti, added: “Ethiopia is not intimidated by Egypt’s psychological warfare and won’t halt the dam’s construction, even for seconds.”

Egypt’s previous military rulers had contingency plans to attack Ethiopian dams that might disrupt the flow of the Nile.

Some politicians were caught on camera last week talking of air strikes or backing Ethiopian rebels after the start of major new work on the project took Cairo by surprise late last month.

Asked if Addis Ababa was looking at measures to defend the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, Dina said: “No country operates without precautions, let alone Ethiopia, which has a track record of defending its independence from all forces of evil.”