Arab water security conference stresses restoration of the Golan to June 4, 1967 border lines
Regional, Politics, 2/25/2000

The eighth conference of the Arab water security has asserted Syria's legitimate right to restore the whole of the Golan to the June 4, 1967 border lines, stressing Syria's right to have control of its water resources, in general.

In its final statement and recommendations released at the conclusion of its three-day deliberations, the conference, which was attended by majority of Arab ministers of agriculture, water and irrigation, stressed Syria's right to decide according to its own interests ways of using its water resources in the areas adjoining Israel and that Israel should not use this Syrian right to impose political stipulations that might obstruct the peace process.

The conference announced its categorical rejection of any Israeli attempt to control the Lebanese waters, stressing that the Litani river is a Lebanese river from its spring until its end. It also expressed its oppositoin to Israel's exploitation of the Lebanese underground waters and the waters of al-Wazzani, al-Jouz, and al-Hasbani rivers, under the pretext the borders set among countries includes surface and underground basins, alike.

The conferees categorically rejected the use of water as a pressing paper against the Arabs or converting it into a source of tension in the Middle East. They stressed the need to abide by international norms and charters concerned.

They stressed that it is necessary to deal with the Tigris and the Euphrates as shared international rivers on which all rules of international rivers can be applied and that they are two separate basins and do not form one basin.

The conference expressed concern over the social consequences of the great shortage in the waters of the Euphrates basin and the deterioration in the quality of its waters and the impact of that on the migration of farmers and peasants from their areas to the main cities.

The conference also recommended that the Arab League form a legal-technical committee which will be in charge of making mediation between Syria, Iraq and Turkey in order to bring viewpoints closer together over water issues pertaining to the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers.

During its three-day deliberations the conference discussed several issues, including Arab waters in international law; Arab waters and security and regional challenges; Arab waters and the Turkish projects; Arab waters and the Arab-Israeli conflict; waters and Arab economic strategies; Arab waters and environmental challenges, and the Arab waters and strategic ambitions.

Previous Stories:
  In concluding the Arab water security conference   (2/24/2000)
  Turkey and waters to Syria and Iraq   (2/23/2000)
  Cairo hosts an international conference on Arab water   (2/22/2000)

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