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Washington Pushes for Resumption of Talks on GERD

US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting, New York, Sept. 23, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst.
US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting, New York, Sept. 23, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst.
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Washington Pushes for Resumption of Talks on GERD

US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting, New York, Sept. 23, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst.
US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting, New York, Sept. 23, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst.

The US is pushing for the resumption of talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the filling and operation of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Washington’s efforts came in line with UN talks held this week at the Security Council to find an exit for the dispute on the dam.

US President Donald Trump expressed his country’s commitment to facilitating a fair and equitable deal among Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on GERD during a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi two weeks ago.

Washington tried in November to broker a deal between the three countries, but Ethiopia did not accept to sign any agreement.

“The US has a clear objective to help reach an agreement on the dam’s dispute,” Mahmoud Abu Zeid, the head of the Arab Water Council and former minister of water resources and irrigation, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday.

This week, UNSC held a primary session to discuss the issue after Egypt requested the Security Council to intervene to resolve the dispute with Ethiopia over GERD.

Ethiopia has held onto its position in a letter sent to the Council.

Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew said Egypt is erroneously portraying the dam as a threat to international peace and security, adding that GERD will not be a menace to peace and security.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said his country is a genuine party to the negotiations, and that Khartoum will continue to exert efforts to reach a solution that is acceptable by all sides.

In a statement issued Wednesday by the Sudanese Cabinet, Hamdok said that he received a phone call from US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to discuss the latest developments regarding the negotiations.

Also, Sudanese Minister of Water and Irrigation Yasser Abbas said his country has received an invitation from Ethiopia to resume talks.

The government reaffirmed its position that the return to the negotiation table requires a political will to resolve outstanding contentious issues, he said.

In the press conference held Wednesday, Abbas said the draft agreement presented by Sudan is suitable as a basis for consensus among the three countries especially that most of the technical issues have been agreed upon.

Abbas noted that differences remain on legal issues.

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Arab World

Iraq Makes First Official Contact with New Syrian Administration

Head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) head Hamid Al-Shatri on the day of their meeting in Damascus, Syria December 26, 2024. (Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham/Handout via Reuters)
Head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) head Hamid Al-Shatri on the day of their meeting in Damascus, Syria December 26, 2024. (Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham/Handout via Reuters)
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Iraq Makes First Official Contact with New Syrian Administration

Head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) head Hamid Al-Shatri on the day of their meeting in Damascus, Syria December 26, 2024. (Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham/Handout via Reuters)
Head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shakes hands with Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) head Hamid Al-Shatri on the day of their meeting in Damascus, Syria December 26, 2024. (Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham/Handout via Reuters)

Head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa received in Damascus on Thursday Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) Head Hamid Al-Shatri, who was on his first foreign visit since assuming his post less than a week ago.

They discussed developments in Syria and the need for security and stability along their shared 600 km border, Iraq's state news agency reported.

Iraqi observers underscored the importance of the visit given the common files shared between the two neighbors, as well as mainly Iraqi Shiite political concerns over the sudden change in Syria.

The Baghdad government had stressed after the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month the need to respect the “free will” of the Syrian people.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said his country “is not opposed to communicating with the new administration in Syria as long as it sought Syria and the region’s stability.”

A member of the Iraqi delegation visiting Damascus on Thursday said officials stressed to Syrian authorities the need to be wary of armed groups that may exploit the security vacuum to launch attacks against Iraq and other regions, reported AFP.

“Iraq is seeking assurances from Syria about border issues and security inside Syria itself,” he added, while emphasizing the need for all parties to refrain from meddling in Syria’s internal affairs.

A “senior source” in Baghdad said the Syrian administration expressed its understanding of Iraq’s concerns, reported Iraq’s state news agency (INA).

Discussions tackled ensuring security at jails that are holding ISIS detainees, it revealed. Officials also tackled cooperation that would prevent the resurgence of ISIS, as well as demands related to protecting minorities and religious shrines.

Sudani had last week called on the new authorities in Damascus to provide assurances about its political process that “would not exclude any party.”

Iraqi former PM Haidar al-Malla told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iraqi delegation’s visit “is a step in the right direction.”

He underlined the importance of holding direct dialogue with the new Syrian leadership, adding that Shatri was the best choice for heading the delegation given his political and security roles.

“Syria is at the heart of the world and it is an important country in the region. We share borders stretching more than 600 kms, so Iraq and Syria’s security are indivisible,” he remarked.

Iraq had notably sentenced Sharaa to death - when he was known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani – on charges of “terrorism and killing Iraqis” when he was a member of ISIS. He defected soon after and formed the al-Nusra Front in Syria that would later become the HTS.

On the sentence, legal expert Ali al-Tamimi said it will continue to stand until it is annulled by the judiciary.

The sentence has no impact at the moment because Iraq is now dealing with the policy of an entire state, not just members of armed groups, he explained.