PRESS RELEASE

H.E. the Minister of Water Resources, Dr. Abdul Latif J. Rashid visited Turkey and Syria on 21/5/2008 to discuss water shortage in the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that Iraq suffers from during 2007/2008 due to shortage in rainfall in the basins of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The visit discussed a range of issues in the field of transboundary water.

   At first, H.E. visited the Republic of Turkey carrying a message from Iraqi Prime Minister to the Turkish Prime Minister addressing the current water situation in Iraq, water shortage and low levels in the reservoirs which requires more water releases from Turkey into the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers as allowed by the storage capacity of Turkey to face the current drought season and to cover Iraq summer plan requirements for this year.

    The visit of H.E. the Minister to Turkey included meeting with H.E. the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and H.E. the Turkish Minister of Environment and Forests to discuss many relevant issues including keeping on holding trilateral technical meetings between Iraq, Syria and Turkey to follow up executing what has been agreed on in the ministerial meeting held in January, 2008. As well as activating the cooperation in the subject of partnership in the management of water resources due to its significance in monitoring and measuring water inflow discharges into Iraq and holding training courses and workshops to exchange technical experiences in the field of water resources.    

   Secondly, H.E. the Minister of Water Resources visited Syria to convene a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister and Syrian Minister of Irrigation to discuss the problem of water shortage and the possibility to increase releases into Euphrates River that meet water needs for agriculture within Euphrates basin in Iraq for current summer season. H.E. also affirmed the necessity of giving the additional portion into Iraq which was agreed upon with the Turkish side and suggested the formation of a joint team work from Iraq and Syria to monitor discharges in the Euphrates River as well as making test analysis for water quality at the Iraqi-Syrian border.    

   The Ministry of Water Resources took a number of procedures and directed them to the governors and the specialist authorities represented by using rotation system in operating dams and reservoirs to ensure facing the decrease in water supplies successfully and as follows:-

1-       Extending suction pumps of drinking water pump stations located on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their tributaries by municipal directorates in coordination with water resources directorates in the provinces and Baghdad Amanat.

2-       Removing all violations.

3-       Applying rotational turn system within irrigation projects according to law No. 12 for 1995 and its amendments to ensure fair distribution for water allocations.

4-       Applying shifting system in operating private and governmental pump stations located at the main rivers to ensure water allocations to the downstream river parts.            

5-       Restricting with the agricultural density.

6-       Resorting to irrigation by pumping in streams which require high levels.

7-       Holding symposium by agricultural committees all over Iraq to discuss the importance of rationing water and its use.

8-       The Ministry of Oil has given priority in providing fuel to operate pumps and generators for irrigation and drainage purposes.

9-       The Ministry of Environment has monitored rivers sources and make sure not to be polluted with the chemical and biological pollutants.

10-    The Ministry of Electricity has instructed its offices in provinces to keep providing electricity to irrigation and drainage stations.

   In the light of what has been mentioned above, the specialists agreed to the necessity of insuring water for the first irrigation to the winter agriculture on (2008-2009) basing upon the proper operation for the current available water resources.

THE AMENDED AGRICULTURAL PLAN FOR 2008 SUMMER SEASON    

Translated by:- Xeinab H. Muhammed