Iraq owns leverage on Turkey to solve water issue: Iraqi parliamentarian
ERBIL, Iraq (North Press) – Member of the Agriculture Committee in the Iraqi Parliament warned of the repercussions the current water crisis will create in the country, and called on the government to use economy as a leverage to solve the water crisis with Turkey and Iran.
The value of trade exchange between Turkey and Iraq is more than 20 billion dollars, which experts and politicians consider a leverage in Iraq’s hand to counteract Turkish pressure.
Jamal Fakher, Agriculture Committee member said in a testimony to the official Iraqi media, on Sunday, that Turkey and Iran have not adhered to international laws regarding the quotas of the riparian countries.
“Since the fall of the previous regime, Turkey has not given the full share of water to Iraq, which is agreed upon internationally,” he added.
As Iraq is an agricultural country and depends on water, cutting off water will lead to migration from districts and sub-districts to cities, according to Fakher.
He pointed out that Iran also did not abide by Iraq’s share of water, and there are rivers that have dried up.
The member called on the government to use the economic leverage as a pressure tool in its negotiations with the two states, especially since the rate of trade exchange is very large.
He revealed several meetings of the committee to be held during the coming days, regarding the issue of water.
Iraq depends mainly on the Tigris River and its tributaries more than the Euphrates, which is geographically shared by three countries, namely Turkey as a source country, Syria traffic and downstream Iraq.
The parliamentarian member stressed that the country is on the verge of drought if this issue is not resolved soon.