- Title: TURKEY: Iraq Deputy PM meets Turkish foreign minister in Ankara
- Date: 21st July 2009
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JULY 20, 2009) (REUTERS) IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER RAFIE AL-ESAWI WALKING INTO TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER'S BUILDING ESAWI AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU SHAKING HANDS (SOME FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) DELEGATION STANDING ESAWI DELEGATION SITTING ESAWI AND DAVUTOGLU SITTING ESAWI LEAVING TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER'S OFFICE / GETTING INTO CAR
- Embargoed: 5th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA9D4D2G9O4UJOQZ095PLTFD0TQ
- Story Text: Iraq's Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Rafie al-Esawi met with Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu in the capital Ankara on Monday (July 20).
Although details of the discussions are unclear, Iraq and Turkey have a number of issues that need to be resolved.
Iraq has often blamed Turkey, and to a lesser extent Syria, of not allowing enough water to flow downstream through the Tigris and Euphrates. Iraq, which is also known by its historic name Mesopotamia that means the land of two rivers, needs water to supply domestic demand as well as increase the area of fertile land and attempt to diversify its economy away from its heavy dependence on oil.
A few weeks ago, Turkey announced it would resume work on the 1.2 billion Euro (1.68 billion U.S. Dollar) Ilisu dam which triggered Iraqi government protests to European countries whose companies had been scheduled to work on the project.
Arid Iraq is in the second year of a major drought that has exacerbated extensive problems for its environment and moribund farm sector.
Turkey has said it will guarantee Iraq a minimum of 400 cubic metres of water per second from the Tigris and Euphrates to help its neighbour weather the drought. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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