FM: We Discussed The Water Issue With The Turkish FM

Baghdad /NINA/-Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated that he discussed the water issue with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

The Foreign Minister added in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart: "We will sign a document with Turkey outlining how to manage water resources between the two countries."

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, “Our institutions are working intensively and very cooperatively, addressing issues between our two countries professionally and focusing on practical solutions. As you know, during the historic visit of our President in 2014, a large number of agreements were signed, and it was important to follow up on their implementation and translate them into concrete steps.”

Fidan added, “Through the joint committees we have established, we are working intensively in many areas, including security, energy, water, trade, customs, and transportation. Dear journalists, the spirit of the times in our region demands peace, development, integration, and cooperation, not division, competition, or obstructing one another.”

The Turkish minister explained, “There is nothing preventing us from doing in our region what the rest of the developed world is doing. Our region is rich in its natural and human resources, its civilization, culture, faith, and history.”  "If we implement the right strategies, we can transform our region into an oasis of prosperity and stability that contributes to global development."

He added, "Iraq has gone through very difficult times in recent years, but today we see Iraq moving confidently towards stability and peace. Turkey fully supports Iraq's security, stability, and prosperity."

Fidan continued, "We are also closely monitoring developments in Syria and working with Iraq and neighboring countries to find common solutions that guarantee regional security and stability."

The minister added, "We appreciate the support of the Iraqi political leadership, across the spectrum, for this shared approach, and we reiterate that the region's problems must be solved by its own countries and peoples, not by waiting for saviors from abroad. We have the strength and the vision to do so."

Fidan explained, "Today, in the presence of the Prime Minister, we will sign an agreement on water management, the first of its kind in the history of our two countries."  This agreement is the culmination of more than two and a half years of work and will pave the way for the development of Iraq's water system, representing the largest water infrastructure project in its history. He added, "We are also working closely in the energy sector, where oil pipelines have been restarted, and discussions are underway regarding cooperation in the gas and electricity sectors."

Regarding the fight against terrorism, Fidan explained, "The PKK's decision to dissolve itself and cease its armed activities is a positive step, but we emphasize the necessity of ending all its armed activities in Iraq, Syria, and Iran as well, given its importance in achieving security and stability and preventing foreign interference."

The Turkish minister stated, "The relations between Turkey and Iraq are deep-rooted and historical, spanning centuries, and we will continue working to develop them in all areas."  On this occasion, we wish the Iraqi people success in the elections scheduled for November 11, and we hope that they will express their free will in an atmosphere of peace and democracy. We affirm our full respect for the will of the Iraqi people, and we will continue to cooperate with the elected government, just as we cooperated with Prime Minister Sudani.

Minister Fidan concluded by saying, "I thank our Iraqi brothers for their warm welcome and hospitality. Today, we will continue our meetings with senior officials to discuss strategic and operational matters between our two countries, and we will inform the public of the results in due course."/ End