Syrian- Lebanese Committee meet on Waters cooperation

The Syrian Lebanese Committee for Common Water held a meeting in Beirut under the chairmanship of Syria'd Irrigation Minister, Mohammed Radwan Martini and Lebanese counterpart, Mohammed Abdul-Hamid Beidoun.

During the meeting which was attended by Secretary Gen. of the Syrian Lebanese Higher Council, Nassri Khouri, the two sides endorsed the minutes of the committee meeting in Damascus regarding the Orontes River waters in the Lebanese territories.

The two sides ratified the agreement on sharing the water of the southern alNahr alKabir basin,and on building a joint dam on the main current of the river at Adlini Tahta.

Following the signing ceremony, Martini underlined that signing the minutes has come following long deliberation regarding the two sides rights of the Orontes River.

He stressed that the agreement is fully in the interests of the Lebanese people and Syria, and hopes to benefit from her right of sharing the waters of the river.

For his part, Beidoun underlined that in line with the initiative of President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanon and Syria have understanding for building a dam on Orontes River of 40 million cm capacity.

He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Lebanese people for President al- Assad and the Syrian people for supporting and meeting the water needs of the Lebanese areas of Baalbak and Hermel.