Syria, Iraq stress historical rights to waters of Tigris, Euphrates

Syrian Minister of Irrigation Abdul Rahman al-Madani and his Iraqi counterpart, Mahmoud Ziab al-Ahmad, stressed the need to coordinate and develop work between Syria and Iraq in the field of irrigation to serve the common interests of the two states.

During their meeting on Thursday at the Syrian Ministry of Irrigation in Damascus, ministers Madani and al-Ahmad asserted "the historical and legal rights of both Syria and Iraq in the waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates and that these waters have to be a means for cooperation, friendship and peace between the three countries which share the rivers, namely Syria, Iraq and Turkey."

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to convene other meetings of the Syrian - Iraqi joint water committee to discuss cases pertaining to water pollution, means of combating it and matters relating to dividing the waters in a way securing the historical rights of each country according to international norms and charters.