On the visit of the Syrian minister of irrigation to Turkey

The Turkish daily Hurriet said in its Saturday's issue that the visit of the Syrian minister of irrigation Taha al-Atrash to Turkey during next week wins special importance regarding two sides: first that the water crisis between Syria and Turkey has started to take a smoother attitude.

The paper added in an article written by Gella Bin Mayor that Turkey until June this year used to permit 300 cubic meters per second of waters to Syria and then since two months started to raise the amounts of waters let to the Syrian side to 900 cubic meters per second, so as to show the good will. The paper noted the possibility that both Syria and Iraq will extend an invitation to Turkey to take part in the meeting to be held for dividing the waters of the Euphrates.

The paper added that the second important point in the visit of the Syrian minister is the contacts in order to ensure the Syrian side benefits from the GAP project expertise in a way that GAP project is preparing to give Syria information acquired in various fields especially irrigation techniques and the use of soil..

The paper added that Syria is not the only country which will receive information and expertise from GAP, noting countries which will receive expertise from the qualification and training unit in GAP during the recent ten years. Among these countries are Macedonia, Egypt and China.