Syria to divert Euphrates

Syrian sources stated that Syria will divert the course of the Euphrates River immediately after it comes from Turkey and upon its entrance into Syria south of the city of Grables.

Syria will soon allow the national and international experts to start implementing the Dam of August at a cost of $500 million which will be the second biggest dam in Syria after the Revolution Dam. The Arab Economic and Social Fund, and the Kuwaiti Economic and Social Fund will offer a $165 million loan to participate in financing this project.

The dam is expected to a fill an annexed lake with 1.9 billion cubic meters of water and it will generate 630 megawatts of electric energy.

Syria avoided criticizing the Turkish government which did not officially inform Syria of its agreement to regulate the flow of the Euphrates in order to help the experts implement the project. An official Turkish delegation had previously declared Turkey's initial acceptance to regulation of the flow of the Euphrates in their discussions with their Syrian counterparts last March.