17 de junio de 2013, 17:30Cairo, Jun 17 (Prensa Latina) The conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia for the construction of a dam in the Blue Nile heads the agenda of the visit of the Commissioner of Foreign Policy of the European Union, Catherine Ashton, who will visit Egypt starting Tuesday.

The arrival was announced by European Union Ambassador James Moran, who said AShton will meet President Mohamed Morsi and Foreign Minister Mohamed kamel Amr, to clam the tensions and reopen the communication channels between Egypt and Ethiopia.

Kamel Amr was in Addis Abeba last Sunday to express the position of Egypt on the differend, but a joint press round made by him and his Ethiopian counterpart, Berhane Gebrekristos, was postponed without any explanation, a possible trace saying that the mutual meeting was not too much effective.

The war of statements between Cairo and Addis Abeba has increased with the days.

Cairo considers the project on the Blue Nile will affect its supply of 55 billion cubic meters of water a year from the Nile, which is vital for the human and economic consumption in Egypt.

Ethiopia assures it will fill the dam slowly, trying not to affect the other countries, but did not regard the suspension of the project and left it clear the Egyptian water quote was assigned by agreements signed during the colonial times, so Ethiopia considers there agreements invalid.

The dam is part of a hydroelectric bog project with which Ethiopia wants to produce enough electric power for consumption and export.

Last week, the government of Egypt refused to join the Agreement of Entebbe, signed by Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. This agreement redefines the assigment of the waters of the Nile River.

According to the European Ambassador, Ashton also plans to meet members of the Egyptian opposition, to « discuss the democratic transition » and talk about the Syrian crisis.

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