More water for Iraqis

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız announced the agreement following a meeting with Kareem Vahid Hasan, Iraqi minister for electricity, on Monday.

After a request from Iraq last month for more water, Turkey increased the amount of water it is giving the country. Yıldız said they agreed that Iraq would receive between 400 and 600-650 cubic meters of water per second on a daily basis and no less then 500 cubic meters per second average on a monthly basis. While underlining the existence of global problems linked to drought, Yıldız emphasized that water is an important tool to be used for the continuance of cooperation and good relations with Iraq. Hasan noted they had a meeting about water with Syria before their visit to Turkey, and he stated that in line with their demands, Syria had agreed to increase the quantity of water passing to their country.