Resources suggest that memoranda of understanding with Turkey regarding water quotas will be conclud

[size=52]Resources suggest that memoranda of understanding with Turkey regarding water quotas will be concluded soon and await Iran's response[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Hussein Hatem[/size]
[size=45]Yesterday, the Ministry of Water Resources confirmed that there are political wills on the Iranian and Turkish sides to prevent the release of water quotas for Iraq. While a government advisor believes that the delegations that went to negotiate with the two sides did not discuss the water file with the responsible authorities in the first place, calling for the establishment of a National Water Council and limiting the “water file” to the hands of the Prime Minister.[/size]
[size=45]Spokesman for the Ministry of Water Resources, Aoun Diab, said in an interview with Al-Mada that "international agreements on water releases are not easy, but it is a complex and thorny issue."[/size]
[size=45]Diab added, "There is a political will among the neighboring countries regarding the launch of water quotas."[/size]
[size=45]A spokesman for the Ministry of Water Resources indicated, "There are memoranda of understanding that will be worked out with neighboring Turkey in the coming days."[/size]
[size=45]With regard to Iran, Diab said that “the Iranian elections were the reason for delaying talks and talks on water quotas,” noting that “water releases from Iran amounted to zero from the side of the Sirwan River, in addition to the Karkheh and Karun rivers.”[/size]
[size=45]He points out, "The Iranian side claims that the drought and lack of rain made their waters limited to the use of their people only."[/size]
[size=45]Diab added, "The Ministry of Water Resources used its existing water reserves to control water scarcity in many areas."[/size]
[size=45]On Sunday, Minister of Water Resources, Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani, confirmed that talks with Iran and Turkey to agree on a water-sharing protocol have not yielded an answer so far.[/size]
[size=45]In turn, the advisor and water expert, Adel Al-Mukhtar, said in an interview with (Al-Mada), that "the Iraqi delegations that went to the Iranian and Turkish sides did not discuss the water file with the executive official represented by the President of the Republic, but rather their meeting was with officials in the capacity of general managers who have no authority to negotiate."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Mukhtar added, “The government does not have the ability to use pressure papers, as the borders are still open for import.”[/size]
[size=45]The government advisor called for “the establishment of a National Water Council so that the water file is in the hands of the Prime Minister exclusively,” noting that “the Minister of Water Resources is weak in authority.”[/size]
[size=45]The water expert points out that “the water file is scattered and lacks water plans and policies,” stressing that “the Ministry of Water Resources does not have a clear strategy for water management.”[/size]
[size=45]The Minister of Water Resources, Mahdi Rashid, had threatened to resort to international institutions to obtain his country's water rights from Iran.[/size]
[size=45]He said during a press conference held in Diyala province: "We will resort to international forums to obtain our water rights from Iran if the latter insists on cutting off all water resources from Diyala and its refusal to comply with agreements to share the damages of regional water scarcity."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "The Iranian side has not shown any response to us and is still cutting off water from the Sirwan, Karun, Karkah and Alwand rivers and streams, which has caused severe damage to the residents of Diyala, which directly depends on the water coming from Iran."[/size]
[size=45]The minister indicated that "his refusal to go to such solutions (international complaints), and the matter depends on the cooperation of the Iranian side according to the foundations of good-neighborly relations and common interests."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hamdani criticized “Iran’s refusal to hold a meeting that was scheduled in mid-June, and was postponed due to the Iranian elections, and they promised us to hold a meeting after the elections, but that did not materialize.”[/size]
[size=45]In addition, the Government Media Cell announced, last week, the support of the Ministry of Water Resources for liquefaction projects to face water scarcity.[/size]
[size=45]The cell stated, in a statement received by Al-Mada, that “the Ministry of Water Resources, through its formations deployed in all governorates of Iraq, sought to secure raw water for liquefaction stations as a first priority in its activity,” stressing that “although quite a few of them were implemented without approval.” The ministry departments in the governorates and on subsidiary rivers in which it is difficult to supply water due to the water scarcity that the country is currently going through and the large losses that accompany the process of delivering these rations.”[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that seven million Iraqis out of 40 million were affected as a result of "drought and forced displacement," according to what President Barham Salih said in a report he issued on climate change.[/size]
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