Iraq's PM appeals for enhanced Euphrates water releases in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister

Shafaq News / Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, engaged with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, on the pressing matter of water resource management, today, Wednesday. Addressing the urgency of augmenting water releases from the Euphrates River, this diplomatic interaction reflects a shared commitment to regional stability and resource conservation.

According to a statement from Al-Sudani's media office, the discussions centered around bilateral relations, strategies for strengthening mutual cooperation across various dimensions, enhancing economic partnership, and counter-terrorism efforts between the two nations.

The statement quoted Prime Minister al-Sudani as stating that Iraq is committed to addressing all matters through collaboration and good neighborliness. He highlighted the promising prospects for deeper economic and trade cooperation, using the development road project as a prime example of an economic corridor with substantial opportunities on the regional and global stages.

The statement further noted that during the meeting, al-Sudani shed light on Iraq's battle against terrorism, emphasizing that security and stability are the government's priorities. He asserted that no entity or organization, under any pretext, will be allowed to compromise Iraq's security or exploit its territory for aggression against neighboring countries.

This steadfast stance, as stipulated in the Charter, emphasizes the commitment to activating further cooperation within the framework of joint security committees with Turkey and the adoption of dialogue as opposed to unilateral actions.

Al-Sudani also stressed the significance of coordination between Iraq and Turkey on various regional matters, urging the adoption of shared positions that serve the interests of both peoples. He commended Turkey's recent initiative to increase the water releases from the Tigris River.

Furthermore, he urged the Turkish side to also consider increasing water releases from the Euphrates River, especially since Iraq is on the brink of a significant religious pilgrimage and anticipates hosting a massive crowd from both inside and outside the country. He srtressed the importance of mutual agreement on this matter to serve common interests and safeguard rights.

An agreement was reached to establish a permanent committee between the two countries to address water-related issues.

The Turkish Minister expressed Turkey's willingness to support Iraq in various domains, affirming a sincere commitment to resolve ongoing issues between the two nations.