PM calls on the Turkish side to increase the water releases of the Euphrates River

Baghdad-INA  
Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani called today, Wednesday, on the Turkish side to increase water releases from the Euphrates River.
 
The media office of the Prime Minister stated, in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic, Hakan Fidan, and his accompanying delegation."
 
"During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, ways of strengthening mutual cooperation at various levels, and discussing strengthening economic partnership, and efforts to combat terrorism between the two countries."
 
Al-Sudani explained that "Iraq is serious about presenting all files, in a spirit of cooperation and good neighborliness, in addition to the availability of promising opportunities for more economic and trade cooperation, and that the Development Road project is the best example of that, as it represents one of the most important economic passages in the region and the world, and it contains great economic opportunities.”
During the meeting, “Prime Minister reviewed the Iraqis' confrontation with terrorism, stating that "security and stability are a priority for the Iraqi government, and it will not allow any party or organization, under any name, to tamper with security or use Iraqi lands as a starting point for attacking neighboring countries, and this is a firm principled position as stipulated in the Constitution.”
 
Al-Sudani stressed, "Going towards activating more cooperation within the framework of the joint security committees with Turkey and the adoption of dialogue, away from unilateral action," pointing to "the need for coordination between Iraq and Turkey, in various regional issues, to adopt common positions that serve the interests of the two friendly peoples."
 
Prime Minister appreciated "the recent Turkish initiative to increase the water releases of the Tigris River," calling on the Turkish side, to "increase the water releases of the Euphrates River as well, especially that Iraq is on the verge of a religious visit and millions of crowds from inside and outside the country."
 
He stressed, "The importance of consensus on this file for the common interest and preservation of mutual rights, and it was agreed to form a permanent committee between the two countries to deal with the water file."
 
For his part, the Turkish minister conveyed "President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greetings, appreciating the efforts of the Iraqi government in combating terrorism and striving to improve the infrastructure, and expressed Turkey's desire and willingness to support Iraq in various fields, stressing the serious approach and keenness to solve the outstanding problems between the two countries."