As talks stumbled again between Ethiopia and Egypt over the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, media reports hinted at possible military confrontations between the two countries.
Cairo rejected such an option, asserting its efforts to adopt all peaceful means to solve the conflict.
Information shared on social media said South Sudan has agreed to provide a plot of land for Egypt to build a military base in Pagak county on the border with Ethiopia.
However, a statement by the foreign ministry in Juba denied the reports.
"The ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation hereby denies in the strongest terms possible, the information which has been circulating on the social media that the government of South Sudan has agreed to an Egyptian request to build a military base in Pagak," it said.
The ministry described Ethiopia and Egypt as good friends of South Sudan.
Former member of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Armed Forces General Tarek al-Mahdi told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday that each country has its own way to deal with the crisis.
“Only the state has the right to speak about its choices based on official clear statements. We cannot rely on false news,” he said.
Ambassador Mohammed Ashraf Harbi, who is a member of the Egyptian council on foreign affairs, told Asharq Al-Awsat that military cooperation between Egypt and South Sudan comes as part of expanded coordination agreements that include collaboration on the economy and trade.
This week, Juba TV quoted a military official as saying that the base in Pagak would host about 250 Egyptian soldiers.
Harbi said that according to Egypt, a military option in the dispute with Ethiopia is currently not on the table.
“Cairo follows all legal steps to deal with the GERD conflict…This means that the political process is ongoing and that peace options are still available,” he said.
