Iraq and Turkey about to sign water protocol, Iraqi official
ERBIL, Iraq (North Press) – The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources indicated to the level of understandings with Turkey regarding the water issue and Iraq’s share.
It also talked about the development of coordination with the Syrian government and the exchange of information in this field.
“Water is one of the most important issues at the present time, and the Iraqi government is focusing on it to resolve it with the neighboring countries”, Ali Radi, the Iraqi Water Resources Ministry spokesperson, told North Press.
“Iraq is suffering from the same problem that the northeast Syria region is suffering from, after Turkey decreased the water level in the Euphrates, but it is not as important as the Tigris,” he added.
Radi stressed that Iraq has understandings with Syria, as coordination, especially at the technical level, has reached an advanced level.
He expressed Iraq’s hopes that the understanding with Syria would reflect on other countries.
He pointed out that Iraq and Turkey are about to sign a protocol to regulate the Iraqi share in the coming period, without revealing the time.
While Radi refused to say whether Turkey is using the water issue as a political pressure card or not.
He just said “it is a further matter. We are talking about technical matters, hoping to resolve the water issue and guarantee the rights of the involved countries.”
He noted to the probability of water receding, especially with the advent of summer and the low level of snow, which negatively affects the Iraqi situation.
He expressed his fear about the volume of the impact of the water level in Diyala governorate on the Iranian border, as it is the most governorate witnessing a significant decrease in the water level.