Water resources: a new round of dialogues with Turkey and Iran regarding water next month

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[size=52]Water resources: a new round of dialogues with Turkey and Iran regarding water next month[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Firas Adnan[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Water Resources revealed a new round of technical dialogues with Turkey and Iran regarding the water situation next month, stressing that strengthening strategic reserves depends on the amounts of rain and snow that will fall on the northern regions before the spring season.[/size]
[size=45]The ministry's advisor, Hassan Al-Saffar, said, "The rains that fell during the past period were concentrated in the central and southern regions and covered the first and second irrigation and part of the third irrigation."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar added, "These rates helped increase the winter plan from one million and 500 thousand dunums to two million and 500 thousand dunums."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "the rains also helped in reviving the waters of the marshes, which have witnessed significant drought in recent years."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar talked about "some rainwater being stored in the water harvesting dams located on the eastern side near Iran and the Samawa desert, and on the western side in Anbar Governorate."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed that "an increase occurred in the levels of groundwater, which suffered during the past year from a severe decline as a result of its use," pointing to "the push of the salt spout in the Shatt al-Arab and the improvement of its environment."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar expected, "A rain wave will fall with snow at the beginning of next month in the northern and northeastern regions and the southern lands of Turkey, which can be used to enhance water storage."[/size]
[size=45]And he stressed, "The difficulty of the water situation begins with the beginning of the summer season," explaining that "the spring season witnesses melting of snow towards the dams of Mosul, Dokan, Haditha, and Darbandikhan. summer ».[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar continues, "There is no rain or snow in the northern region, or it was in small quantities, so several measures should be taken by the ministries concerned with water, especially since we suffer from environmental pollution."[/size]
[size=45]And he stated, “These measures, especially taken by the Municipality of Baghdad and the municipal departments of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, municipalities and governorates, and the Ministry of Health, are represented in not throwing sewage water directly into the rivers, especially after the decline in water storage due to our inability to release water discharges higher than the plan that he set.” for the next summer season, and its goal is to reduce these pollutants.” He called, “all official and private institutions not to throw any pollutants into the rivers.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar revealed, "An upcoming meeting that will bring us together with the Turkish side at the end of the month or the beginning of next month, and maps and data of the available water storage in our dams have been prepared, in addition to the Turkish dams located on the Tigris and Euphrates basins, in order to discuss them and reach a satisfactory agreement."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "Iraq received an answer regarding these negotiations from the Turkish embassy in Baghdad, and the meeting will take place according to what was agreed upon."[/size]
[size=45]And Al-Saffar continues, "The Iranian embassy promised us that a meeting will take place in this regard with the Iranian side in the middle of next month and will bring together technicians from both countries in order to prepare an agreement or a memorandum of understanding regarding the release of appropriate discharges to the border rivers."[/size]
[size=45]He stated, "The Turkish side is currently releasing some water discharges, albeit in a low manner," stressing that "the releases into the Euphrates basin during the past eight months were very low on the Syrian-Turkish border."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar believes, "This measure violates previous agreements, which include the release of at least 500 cubic meters per second, but the reality confirms that the quantities do not exceed 250 cubic meters per second."[/size]
[size=45]He continued, "The Syrian side does not store the water received from the Turkish side, and therefore it reaches Iraq, and the talks will touch on this aspect."[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the head of the Agriculture and Water Committee in the House of Representatives, Thaer Makhaif, stated that "the ministerial platform of the government of Muhammad Shia'a al-Sudani, which was voted on in Parliament, included a number of axes, including the water file."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "There are important developments that took place on this aspect, through activating dialogues with both Turkey and Iran with the aim of ensuring Iraq's share of water."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The government is interested in this file, and efforts are being made to secure meetings between technicians so that we can reach agreements that guarantee Iraq's water rights."[/size]
[size=45]He concluded, "Parliament is monitoring the government's efforts in terms of foreign relations to discuss the water file, and we look forward to finishing this file soon."[/size]
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