- Title: TURKEY: TURKEY IS PREPARING TO DISCUSS EXPORT OF WATER SUPPLIES TO ISRAEL
- Date: 6th January 2004
- Summary: (W5) ANTALYA, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF MANAVGAT RIVER (4 SHOTS) 0.27 2. VARIOUS OF INTERIOR OF WATER PROCESSING PLANT ON THE MANAVGAT RIVER (8 SHOTS) 2.18 (W5) ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 7, 2004) (REUTERS) 3. SLV TURKISH ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER DR. MEHMET HILMI GULER 1.28 4. SCU SOUNDBITE (Turkish) TURKISH ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER DR. MEHMET HILMI GULER SAYING: "Yes, it is political, we have spoken about the issue with Israeli ministers last time they visited Istanbul, we spoke about the schedules, but there were several delays, now with this development our government should discuss the issue again." 1.57 (W5) ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2004) (REUTERS) 4. SLV JOURNALIST HUSNU MAHALLI 2.03 5. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) JOURNALIST HUSNU MAHALLI SAYING: "I don't think really that the Israelis really want to buy water from Turkey, they are looking for this issue in a political way, not as a technical issue." 2.19 (JANUARY 6, 2004) (REUTERS) 6. VARIOUS OF SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD DURING HIS VISIT TO TURKISH CAPITAL ANKARA (3 SHOTS) 2.42 (W5) ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 7, 2004) (REUTERS) 7. SCU SOUNDBITE, (English) MAHALLI SAYING: "So I think the Israeli side want to talk about the water to have something in front of the news about the visit of Syrian president Bashar Assad to Turkey, because everyone knows that this visit will give Turkish-Syrian relations a lot of pressure and a big role for the Turkey in the Middle East and I think the Israelis will not be satisfied with that." 3.25 (W5) MERSIN, TURKEY (FILE - JANUARY 25, 1998) (REUTERS) 8. VARIOUS OF WATER TRANSPORT BY BALLOON TO NORTHERN CYPRUS 3.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st January 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ANKARA, ANTALYA AND MERSIN, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVADJ79JOQNFYP5WZD9BW5S7XL9Y
- Story Text: Turkish government is going to discuss water
export to Israel.
The possible water export to Israel will be
discussed by Turkish officials, said the Turkish Energy and
Natural resources minister on Wednesday (January 7),
following Knesset's approval of the plan on Sunday
(January 4).
Israel plans to start importing water from its key
Middle East ally in 2006, Israeli National Infrastructure
Minister Joseph Paritzky said on Monday (January 5).
Paritzky told Reuters that they were buying water from
Turkey for two reasons: one, they need water and two, to
strengthen their ties with one of the most important
countries in the world for them and added there were other
interests than just buying water.
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Mehmet
Hilmi Guler confirmed the move was political.
"Yes, it is political, we have spoken about the issue
with Israeli ministers last time they visited Istanbul, we
spoke about the schedules, but there were several delays,
now with this development our government should discuss the
issue again," said Guler about the Knesset's decision.
Husnu Mahalli, a BBC Arabic service correspondent,
agreed with him.
"I don't think really that the Israelis really want to
buy water from Turkey, they are looking at this issue in a
political way not as a technical issue," said Mahalli. "So
I think the Israeli side want to talk about the water to
have something to put in front of the news of the visit of
Syrian president Bashar Assad to Turkey, because everyone
knows that this visit will give Turkish-Syrian relations a
lot of pressure and a big role for the Turkey in the Middle
East and I think the Israelis will not be satisfied with
that."
The plan to import water from Turkey has been debated
for years and was finally approved by the Israeli cabinet
on Sunday.
In the near term, Paritzky said he would invite
Turkey's energy minister to Israel to sign the deal, after
which bids would go out for building the tankers.
Paritzky said Israel will buy some 50 million cubic
metres of water a year from Turkey for 20 years. That
accounts for only about three percent of Israel's annual
fresh water consumption of 1.5 billion cubic metres, which
is rising because of a growing population, he said.
Manavgat Water Supply facilities on Manavgat river
before it meets with Mediterranean sea would probably be
the production centre for the exportation.
Turkey will ship the water to Israel in specially built
tankers, Paritzky said and added that they felt that for 20
years, the amount spent building the tankers seemed
economically worthwhile. The contract starts in 2006
because it will take until then to order and build the
tankers.
With the implementation of Manavgat Water Supply
project on Manavgat river, Turkey aims to extract 500.000
cubic metres of water a day to be loaded and exported to
countries like Malta, Cyprus and Israel. The facility can
increase production for another 250.000 cubic metres if
needed.
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