- Egypt’s nightmare to stretch the old fashion secret diplomacy – has no basis in modern diplomacy, scholars argue
Since there is no violation of cross border treaty or agreement, there is no rules of international law which impose any substantive obligations over a national project of a sovereign country, unless intending to create an exaggerated international political agenda.
As the room is still open for negotiation, referring the issue of GERD to Security Council indicates Egypt’s diplomatic crises and its insanity; in which, the council has no mandate to enforce any pressure over Ethiopia, argued International Law and Diplomacy scholars.
According to the scholars, Egypt’s nightmare is still to use secret diplomacy which was remained old fashion and has no base in the modern diplomacy.
Hence, Ethiopia should inform, explain the fact on the ground and aware the international community using the existing diplomatic channels. Even though Egypt ignored the 2015 tripartite agreement, the Declaration of Principles (DoC) has set the solution for the disputes through negotiation.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Dereje Zeleke (PhD), Associate Professor of International Law at Addis Ababa University stated that Egypt’s intention of taking the issue of GERD to the Security Council is to make it global political agenda; however, the stance has no base and remain unsupported in international principles.
Egypt focused on escalating the issue of GERD through its old fashioned zero-sum-game to create tension over Ethiopia. Fortunately, Ethiopia follows all the legal frameworks known in all international treaties and declaration of principles, Dereje commented.
Endale Negussie, lecturer at Ethiopian Civil Service University, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, said for his part that since there is no violated international law, treaty or charter regarding the tripartite discussion of GERD, there should no need to raise tension and forward the agenda to the Security Council.
As to Endale, there is no way that the Security Council would consider Ethiopia guilty since it keeps an eye on the right direction of international principles. The UN Charter and other international frameworks promote win-win solution. Unless the council wants to keep the zero-sum-game of Egypt, the issue of GERD should not become an agenda of the council. Ethiopia has always the initiative and opened the rooms for discussion in this regard.
Dereje believes that, even if the council takes the issue seriously, it may not impose sanctions over Ethiopia, rather it will forward suggestions to continue the negotiation between the three countries.
Since win-win solution is its firm stance, Ethiopia should aware the members of the council and should bring the issue again for table negotiation. If there is the need for mediator, it is necessary to invite the continental and regional organizations who have recognition by the United Nations and the Security Council as well, Dereje and Endale stated.
According to Dereje, Ethiopia has taken all the initiatives for the win-win agreement so as to keep friendship with the downstream countries; but Egypt picks up Ethiopia’s humbleness for its evil interest. Thus, Ethiopia should clearly expose all these evil activities of Egypt to the international community, he added.
Dereje also stated, the international community knows Ethiopia implements soft diplomacy which is not a threat for the regional security; but Egypt goes long to worsen the issue using fabricated propagandas.
“Since Ethiopia constructs the dam on its own territory keeping all the international principles, taking the issue to the security council has no basis in any international agreements,” Endale stated.
First of all, the filling of the dam was never been an issue in the previous negotiations, both Dereje and Endale highlighted. Egypt’s new concern to stop the filling does not make sense.
According to Endale, Egypt now plays zero-sum-game and stretches secret diplomacy, which could be considered old tradition of public diplomacy. Hence, Ethiopia should expose all the conspiracies, fabricated agendas and the way Egypt follows to intensify the issue since it could end at tripartite negotiations.
As to him, Egypt is working day and night to separate Ethiopia from its neighbors and the international organizations. Therefore, international organizations need to stand for international principles; rather, they should insist Egypt to cooperate for mutual use of the water, notwithstanding for its selfish interest, the scholars commented.
The Ethiopian Herald May 16/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
