Washington: US President Donald Trump said the Middle East was more stable after talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Davos.
He pointed to what he called progress on Gaza, continued pressure on Iran, and rising interest in his proposed Board of Peace.
Speaking after a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday (local time), Trump praised Egypt’s role in regional diplomacy. “Egypt has been great,” he said.
Trump said the talks covered Gaza, regional security, and a dispute over a massive dam on the Nile River in Ethiopia.
He described the dam as “one of the largest dams anywhere in the world.” He said it “basically blocks the Nile River” and called it “a very big problem.”
“They built a dam where somebody’s not getting the water that they are supposed to get,” Trump said. He added that Egypt had depended on the Nile “for a million years.”
Trump said he would try to bring Egyptian and Ethiopian leaders together. He said the issue had become “a dangerous thing” and needed to be resolved.
Talking about Gaza, Trump repeated his claim that US involvement was decisive. “If we weren’t involved, there’d be no peace,” he said. He added that there was now “peace to be a piece of the Middle East.”
He acknowledged lingering threats. “You might have Hamas. We have a little flame here and there,” Trump said. He warned that armed groups must disarm. “If they don’t get rid of the guns, then they will be very unhappy,” he said.
Trump also cited Hezbollah in Lebanon as a concern. He described it as secondary to broader stability. “We actually have peace in the Middle East,” he said. “It’s an amazing thing. Nobody thought we’d ever see that.”
Iran featured prominently in Trump’s remarks throughout the day. He repeated his assertion that US military action had prevented Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“If we didn’t bomb the Iran nuclear plant, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two months,” he said.
Trump said sanctions and penalties on Iran would continue. He left open the possibility of further action if Iran resumed nuclear activity.
The president also promoted his proposed Board of Peace. He described it as a new forum to lock in ceasefires and prevent wider conflict. “We have a lot of great people that want to join,” Trump said. He called it “the most prestigious board ever formed.”
He said some countries would need parliamentary approval. “For the most part, everybody wants to be on,” he added.
Asked separately about Greenland, Trump downplayed the prospect of force. He said military action was not under consideration. “I don’t think that will be necessary,” he said.
Trump’s focus on Middle East stability carries implications for India. New Delhi relies heavily on energy imports from the region. Reduced tensions in Gaza and pressure on Iran, lower risks to oil markets and shipping routes vital to India’s economy.
(IANS)
