US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1373

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001373 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2014 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, ECIN, IZ, PREL, SENV, SY, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY WANTS TIGRIS-EUPHRATES BASIN AGREEMENT 
 
Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman for reasons 1.5 (b) and 
(d) 
 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  MFA officials say Turkey wants to begin a 
dialogue with Syria and Iraq, leading to a comprehensive 
water sharing/management agreement for the Tigris-Euphrates 
basin, part of an effort by the Turkish government to 
contribute to stability in the region.  They say that in the 
coming year, decisions by Turkey and Iraq on water usage 
could lock in sharp increases in water demand, making any 
future agreement increasingly difficult.  The Foreign 
Ministry wants the U.S. to play a role in this process and 
has asked Washington to consider sending a delegation to 
Ankara to discuss a way forward.  We think this is an 
important opportunity and urge Washington to consider the 
Turks' offer to consult.  End Summary. 
 
 
2.  (U) Regional Environment Officer has had a series of 
meetings with officials in the Foreign Ministry and other GOT 
agencies to discuss Turkey's desire to begin the process of 
tri-partite cooperation on the Tigris-Euphrates basin. 
Deputy Undersecretary Kilic said that the MFA wants to 
explore the willingness of Syria and Iraq to discuss a single 
agreement to cover water issues for the entire Tigris and 
Euphrates Basin.  At numerous international fora, Turkish 
officials have presented the government's desire to reach an 
accord.  Turkey's presentation to the 48th Session of the 
NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul, 15-19 November 2002, 
stated "Turkey is eager to find ways of reaching a basis for 
cooperation on the Tigris and Euphrates which will strengthen 
regional peace and improve the quality of life of the peoples 
of the three countries." 
 
 
3.  (C) The Chief of the Foreign Ministry's Transboundary 
Water Department, Mithat Rende, said the MFA thinks that the 
departure of Hussein and improving relations with Syria 
present an opportunity to begin a dialogue.  However, he is 
concerned that time may be growing short; important decisions 
are being made in Iraq that bear directly on future water use 
-- increasing Iraq,s agricultural production, restoration of 
the marshes, and reconstruction of Iraq,s system of dams and 
canals. 
 
 
4.  (C) Rende explained that Turkey wants to begin a dialogue 
that would lead to direct talks with Iraq and Syria.  Rende 
said the MFA understands that this will be a long and 
sometimes difficult process.  Past efforts to reach agreement 
have failed, mostly because of political suspicions and 
tensions.  Syria and Iraq have frequently accused Ankara of 
using its control of the Tigris and Euphrates headwaters as a 
weapon. 
 
 
5.  (U) Rende said the first steps in the process would need 
to focus on non-controversial issues to build trust among the 
parties.  Turkey wants to begin the dialogue with data 
sharing -- to exchange and compile accurate and comparable 
data on past and projected water flows from Turkey, water 
demand projections in all three countries, information on 
water quality, and information on water infrastructure, such 
as dams, treatment plants and irrigation systems.  Comment: 
Embassy believes that the data-sharing process alone could 
bring real benefits, especially to Iraq, which will need 
accurate water data in its reconstruction and development 
planning. 
 
 
6.  (SBU) Turkey has developed a simple set of goals for a 
comprehensive agreement. 
 
 
-- Single Basin.  Turkey insists that any progress toward 
fruitful cooperation must be based on the principle that the 
two rivers be considered a single water basin. 
 
 
-- Water rights.  Turkey affirms that all riparian states 
have a right to the water resources of the Tigris and 
Euphrates.  However, this does not mean that each riparian 
state has a claim to an equal share of the total water 
resources. 
 
 
-- Optimal Usage.  The benefits of the water resources must 
be shared in an equitable and efficient (optimal) manner.  In 
other words, with rights come responsibilities.  Turkish 
officials argue that any agreement will fail without 
fundamental agreement on the need to make optimal use of the 
water.  This will require a high degree of cooperation, data 
sharing and transparency to work. 
 
 
7.  (U) The Turks argue that they are using the most advanced 
engineering and technical know-how to make optimal use of the 
water Turkey takes from the Tigris and Euphrates ) this 
includes optimal planning of reservoirs, careful selection of 
land to be irrigated and introduction of modern, efficient 
irrigation techniques. They argue that Syria and Iraq have 
not. 
 
 
8.  (SBU) Syria:  Turkey is hopeful that Syria can become a 
serious and cooperative partner, according to Rende.  The 
January visit of President Assad, although light on 
substance, did indicate a willingness on both sides to 
improve relations.  Prior to Assad's visit, Turkey's 
Ambassador to Damascus told Syrian journalists that recent 
improvements in relations with Syria should open the door for 
cooperation on water issues. 
 
 
9.  (U) Iraq:  Rende said Hussein's regime had been the main 
obstacle in Turkey's previous attempts to reach a tri-lateral 
accord, and he was encouraged by Water Resources Minister 
Latif Rashid's statements last fall that Iraq would like to 
reach an agreement. 
 
 
10.  (U) Turkey thinks that it can offer real benefits to its 
southern neighbors as part of an agreement.  Turkey has 
devoted significant resources to water projects in the Tigris 
and Euphrates headwaters under the Southeast Anatolia Project 
(GAP) and says it is eager to share its expertise and 
experience.  Turkey's GAP Administration has been working 
with its sister organization in Syria, the General 
Organization for Land Development (GOLD) and says it would 
like to help Iraq restore its water infrastructure.  Turkey's 
dams already provide benefits downstream, reducing seasonal 
variations, which reduces flooding risk and increases supply 
reliability.  Turkish officials at the State Hydraulics Works 
(DSI) claim that Turkish dams are efficient (higher elevation 
and deeper) and suggested that an agreement would reduce the 
need for expensive and less efficient dam projects in Syria 
and Iraq. 
 
 
11.  (C) On the other hand, lack of an agreement could lead 
to problems in the future as the riparian states proceed with 
agricultural and economic development projects.  So far, 
Turkey's Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) has focused on dams 
to exploit the hydropower potential of the Tigris and 
Euphrates, which has had only a minor effect on water quality 
and supply downstream.  However, GAP's ambitious irrigation 
blueprint and plans for economic and industrial development 
will certainly raise concerns in Syria and Iraq about future 
water supply and deteriorating water quality.  For example, 
the GAP Master Plan calls for a nearly ten-fold increase of 
farm land irrigated from the Tigris and Euphrates -- from 
187,000 hectares to 1.7 million hectares. 
 
 
Next Steps 
 
 
12.  (C) While we recognize many factors and issues are at 
play here, Embassy thinks that Turkey's proposal is worth 
considering.  Turkey's desire to play a constructive role in 
Iraq's reconstruction and contribute to regional stability, 
coupled with readiness in Iraq and improved relations with 
Syria, offers a peculiar (and perhaps limited) opportunity. 
Delay could make any future agreement increasingly difficult 
as Turkey and Iraq lock in ambitious development plans that 
will require much more water. 
 
 
13.  (C) The Turkish initiative could offer an opportunity to 
achieve agreement on a long-standing, thorny issue in a 
region that has been among the most tense in the world. 
Moreover, it would fulfill the U.S. objective to encourage 
Turkey to contribute to regional stability and the 
reconstruction of Iraq.  This is especially important, in our 
view, for Turkey, coming after the difficult decisions 
regarding Turkey's contribution to peacekeeping in Iraq and 
prior to the June 2004 NATO Summit and President's visit to 
Turkey. 
 
 
14.  (SBU) Ankara would be interested in views of CPA and 
Embassy Damascus about Iraqi and Syrian willingness and 
capability to initiate talks.  We also recommend that 
Washington consider the Turkish initiative, especially its 
invitation for a U.S. team to visit Ankara to discuss the 
issue. 
EDELMAN