Iraq, Syria Discuss Euphrates River Coordination, Propose Tripartite Talks with Turkey
The talks focused on existing arrangements for water sharing, particularly the 1987 and 1989 agreements that outline the allocations for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraqi Minister of Water Resources Aoun Diab Abdullah and Syrian Minister of Energy Mohammed al-Bashir met in Baghdad on Tuesday to discuss enhancing bilateral coordination over the management of the Euphrates River.
The talks focused on existing arrangements for water sharing, particularly the 1987 and 1989 agreements that outline the allocations for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
During the meeting, the two ministers proposed holding a tripartite meeting involving Syria, Iraq, and Turkey to address ongoing challenges related to the river’s flow and usage.
They have also agreed to establish joint technical teams tasked with visiting water measuring stations in Jarabulus, northern Syria (Rojava). These teams will work on upgrading monitoring equipment and ensuring the accuracy of hydrological data along the river.
The Euphrates River, which flows through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, remains a vital water source for agriculture, electricity generation, and drinking water in all three countries.
Previously, the Syrian Minister of Energy met with Iraq’s Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani, in which they discussed reactivating the long-idle Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline.
Read More: Iraq and Syria express Readiness to Resume Kirkuk–Baniyas Oil Pipeline Operations
