Damascus investigates information on British financing for Turkish dam

Well-informed sources told the London-based al-Hayat daily that the Syrian government is following up "closely" news reports which say that Britain intends to finance the establishment of a new Turkish dam on the Tigris river, which is shared by Syria, Iraq and Turkey, after the World Bank had refused to finance the said project because it "violates international norms," concerning partitioning of international waters.

The circles noted an earlier agreement between Baghdad and Damascus to "urge international companies to boycott the implementation or financing of Turkish projects until a fair tripartite agreement on partitioning waters is achieved."

Syrian sources on Tuesday quoted the British daily the "Guardian" as saying that London "will finance the project of building Elzoug dam on the Tigris river, 40 miles from the Syrian, Iraqi, Turkish borders."

The project which will lead to swamping some 15 towns, 52 villages and the displacement of 20,000 Kurds from their areas.

British Minister of State for Trade and Industry Brian Wilson denied in a statement to the BBC that his country will give credit to finance the dam project in case the British Ballfore Petty company wins the bid for the project." The bid is estimated at US $320 million.