Rashid assures to the Turkish Foreign Minister the need to obtain a fair share of water

INA-  Baghdad


 
President of the Republic Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid stressed on Wednesday the need for Iraq to obtain a fair share of water.
 
The media office of the President of the Republic said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, received at Baghdad Palace, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the accompanying delegation and in the presence of Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein."
 
The statement indicated that "at the beginning of the meeting, the President welcomed the Turkish Foreign Minister, stressing the depth of the historical relations between the two neighboring countries, and the importance of working to strengthen and develop them and expand the horizons of cooperation in the economic, trade, environmental, water and energy fields, in a way that serves the mutual interests of the Iraqi and Turkish peoples."
 
In this context, Minister Fidan explained that "the Turkish Minister of Trade is hoped to visit Iraq next week, while the President of the Republic expressed his hope that the visit will contribute to the advancement of bilateral relations."
 
On the water file, President Rashid stressed "the importance of reaching understandings between the two countries on obtaining a fair and sufficient share of water that covers the necessary needs of our people," pointing out that "Iraq is suffering from a severe water crisis that has greatly affected the overall public life of Iraqis due to the decrease in the flow of transboundary water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their tributaries."
 
He pointed to "the importance of accommodating all aspects, especially the water crisis borne by both sides," explaining "the seriousness of the Iraqi side in exerting tireless efforts to rationalize water use, rehabilitate irrigation and sewage systems through the use of modern technologies, improve water management and build dams and reservoirs."
 
In turn, Minister Fidan stressed that "Turkey is keen to find radical solutions to the water problem and there is a continuous follow-up from his government to address the water shortage in Iraq," expressing his hope to "hold a joint meeting between experts from the two countries to reach actual solutions."
 
He added that "his country is committed to supporting Iraq's efforts to consolidate its security and stability, and wants to consolidate the relations that bind the two countries since ancient times in order to achieve common interests."
 
He added, "Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is determined to visit Iraq to follow up on the existing issues in addition to the files included in the visit program, as President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid welcomed President Erdogan's visit to Baghdad."
 
The meeting discussed the security situation, the importance of preventing security breaches and abuses, and the need to respect national sovereignty.