Iraqi - Syrian cooperation to confront Turkey

Iraqi Minister of Irrigation Mohammed Diab El-Ahmed today told ArabicNews.com that a Syrian delegation will visit Iraq next month to discuss the crisis over Euphrates water with Turkey, coordination between Syria and Iraq in addressing the water issue before the Arab foreign ministers at a meeting in September.

Turkey, Syria and Iraq held a few meetings in the past that did not reach an agreement on sharing the water among them.

The Iraqi minister added that his ministry started building a dam on the Tigris river in the Baghdad area. He added that Iraq will soon import irrigation pumps and heavy equipment from China, France and Russia worth $53 million.

He said his country will sue Turkey if Turkey continues with its plans to build dams on the Degla and Euphrates rivers that affect the flow of water to Iraq and Syria.