Turkey: Giant Balloon Filled With Drinking Water Sets Off To Sea To Relieve Drought-Stricken Northern Cyprus

Record ID: 4005

  • Title: Turkey: Giant Balloon Filled With Drinking Water Sets Off To Sea To Relieve Drought-Stricken Northern Cyprus
  • Date: 16th July 1998
  • Summary: A tug has dragged a huge balloon filled with fresh water from southern Turkey. It is part of Turkey's commitment to help drought-hit northern Cyprus by bringing up to seven million cubic metres of water to its shores. Turkey will begin delivering fresh water in sea-born balloons to its ethnic kin on the divided island of Cyprus this month. Turkey's state-run Anatolian news agency said three million cubic metres of water would be towed in three balloons to northern Cyprus in the first year of the project aiming to relieve years of drought on the island. If necessary the volume could be increased to seven million cubic metres, while the long-term aim is to build a water pipeline from Turkey to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Ankara. The project was first scheduled to begin in April but was delayed by the construction of a sea platform in Cyprus. A series of experimental water transfers have been conducted since then. Turkey maintains around 30,000 troops in north Cyprus in support of a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state which declared its independence from the internationally recognised government in the south in 1983.
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  • Location: TURKEY ANAMUR
  • Reuters ID: LDL001294JUDF
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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