Iraqi-Turkish discussions on larger share of water for Baghdad
The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, and the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan. Photo: Al-Arabiya News
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, held bilateral talks on Tuesday with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, over several issues of common concern, including the impact of the water crisis on Iraq.
Hussein’s remarks took place during a joint press conference with Turkey’s Foreign Minister in Baghdad, the state news agency (INA) reported.
The two ministers discussed ways to promote bilateral relations between the two countries and addressed the water issue and the effects of climate change on Iraq.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister stated that the drought is threatening agricultural and economic activities in Iraq, stressing the need for Baghdad to obtain a larger share of water.
The Turkish Foreign Minister suggested forming a joint committee between Iraq and Turkey to deal with this issue.
The meeting also addressed other issues, including the Turkish military’s existence in Iraq, where the Iraqi Foreign Minister confirmed that Baghdad never allows its territory to be used to carry out attacks against another country.
Last March, Baghdad appealed to Ankara regarding its share of the water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, particularly since Iraq suffers from a significant shortage of water, which affected its agricultural activities.