Lebanon: our right to al- Wazzani water is not negotiable

Lebanon has renewed its right to benefiting from the water of al- Wazzani as a nonnegotiable issue, and that it is determined to complete the project of bringing the water of this spring for irrigating scores of thirsty Lebanese villages in the south.

In conclusion of his meeting with the French President Jacque Chirac which lasted for one hour at Elysee palace in Paris, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabhi Berri said that "France knows we get the waters from al-Wazzani river.. It is an integral part of our right, adding that the inauguration of this project will be at its set time."

Al-Wazzani is the most important tributary for al-Hasbani which continues its course in Palestine and pour in the Jordan river which feeds the Tiberies lake.

Lebanon carried out the first test for the new pumps it had installed on al-Wazzani river and completed the technical and legal report on that issue to be submitted to the UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Israel has repeatedly threatened Lebanon because of this project where works had started in September. The Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon said that this project constitutes a reason for war with Lebanon.