“Water is not a conflict area it is a cooperation tool, we have decided to increase the amount of water released from the Tigris River for one month to the extent possible, in order to alleviate the problem of Iraq ”
21 March 2023
During the official visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to Türkiye, the issue of water was also discussed. Iraq asked Turkey to release more water along Tigris.
After the meetings, Erdoğan and Şiya es-Sudani held a joint press conference. President Erdoğan made the following statement on water at the press conference;
We can overcome transboundary water issues with cooperation.
Erdogan said that they consider the water issue not as a conflict but as an area of cooperation that will serve common interests, and that they are aware of the urgent water shortage that Iraq is facing.
Pointing out that the rainfall in Türkiye is also at the lowest level of the last 62 years, Erdoğan said, “We are going through a drought period deepened by climate change. Despite all these negativities, we have decided to increase the amount of water released from the Tigris River for a month, as much as possible, in order to relieve Iraq’s distress. “We can only deal with issues related to transboundary waters with rational and scientific cooperation,” he said.
Turkey had increased the water relased in previous years.
Due to the drought in Iraq, in 2018, 2021 and 2022, the Baghdad administration asked Ankara to increase the amount of water reaching Iraq from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Türkiye
had declared that it would meet this demand by taking into account the amount of water in the dams. Türkiye always agreed to release more water to ease Iraqi water shortages considering water conditions.
Source: https://haber.sol.org.tr/haber/erdogan-irak-icin-dicle-nehrinden-birakilan-su-miktarini-artirma-karari-aldik-369424
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“Water is not a conflict area it is a cooperation tool, we have decided to increase the amount of water released from the Tigris River for one month to the extent possible, in order to alleviate the problem of Iraq ”
21 March 2023
During the official visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to Türkiye, the issue of water was also discussed. Iraq asked Turkey to release more water along Tigris.
After the meetings, Erdoğan and Şiya es-Sudani held a joint press conference. President Erdoğan made the following statement on water at the press conference;
We can overcome transboundary water issues with cooperation.
Erdogan said that they consider the water issue not as a conflict but as an area of cooperation that will serve common interests, and that they are aware of the urgent water shortage that Iraq is facing.
Pointing out that the rainfall in Türkiye is also at the lowest level of the last 62 years, Erdoğan said, “We are going through a drought period deepened by climate change. Despite all these negativities, we have decided to increase the amount of water released from the Tigris River for a month, as much as possible, in order to relieve Iraq’s distress. “We can only deal with issues related to transboundary waters with rational and scientific cooperation,” he said.
Turkey had increased the water relased in previous years.
Due to the drought in Iraq, in 2018, 2021 and 2022, the Baghdad administration asked Ankara to increase the amount of water reaching Iraq from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Türkiye
had declared that it would meet this demand by taking into account the amount of water in the dams. Türkiye always agreed to release more water to ease Iraqi water shortages considering water conditions.
Source: https://haber.sol.org.tr/haber/erdogan-irak-icin-dicle-nehrinden-birakilan-su-miktarini-artirma-karari-aldik-369424
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