(9 Jun 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
   
ASSOCIATED PRESS   
Baghdad - 9 June 2022    
1. Various of Tigris River in Baghdad  
2. Iraqi officials arriving at ministry of water resources  
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hakim al-Zamili, First Deputy Speaker of Iraqi Parliament:
"Turkey, the dear neighbour, started to cut and reduce the water amount by 80%. That gives us only 20% of the water. And it is giving us the 20%, not in accordance to international agreements or out of love for Iraq, but it gives us (this 20%) because it produces electricity from the Ilisu Dam. They stated (building) dams and now we have been receiving detailed intelligence information that they've started the building of the Cizre Dam. This will stop the passing of a single drop of water to Iraq."
4. Iraqi flag in conference hall
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hakim al-Zamili, First Deputy Speaker of Iraqi Parliament:
"As for the dear neighbor, Iran, it has cut the water flow completely on Iraq. Now, the water coming from there is zero. Four important rivers were distorted, and their water stream diverted toward Iranian territories. Our trade balance with Turkey is over $20 billion a year, and our trade balance with Iran is over $16 billion per year. I mean this is the trade balance of goods exported from these countries to Iraq, and Iraq makes zero exports to these countries. But unfortunately, because of the weakness of Iraq and because of the political rivalry and disagreements, we ended up in this situation."
6. Flags of Iraq and ministry of water resources in hall
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hakim al-Zamili, First Deputy Speaker of Iraqi Parliament:
"I tell the neighboring countries, the dear countries, to which we are linked ideologically, and through visits, and economic and trade ties, we don't want to be forced in the House of Representatives to issue a law to criminalise trade and economic exchange with Turkey and Iran. If these countries are not deterred, then we will be forced in the House of Representatives to issue a law that bans anyone from dealing or making trades with companies, or importing goods from these countries. We will have no other option to resort to."
8. Various Ministry of Water Resources  exteriors
STORYLINE:
The first deputy speaker of Iraq's parliament threatened to cut economic ties and trade exchange with Turkey and Iran over the dropping water levels in the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
Hakim al-Zamili said raq's parliament may be left with no other option to respond with, but to criminalise trade dealings with the two countries.
"We don't want to be forced in the House of Representatives to issue a law to criminalise trade and economic exchange with Turkey and Iran," he added.
Iraq relies on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for nearly all of its water needs.
Both flow into Iraq from Turkey and Iran.
Those countries have constructed dams that have either blocked or diverted water, creating major shortages in Iraq.
Water Resources Minister Mahdi Rasheed told The Associated Press that river levels were down 60% compared to last year.
Wrestling with the water shortage, Iraq's government has been unable to tackle other long-neglected issues.
Desertification has been blamed as a factor behind this year's relentless spate of sandstorms.
At least 10 have hit the country in the past few months, covering cities with a thick blanket of orange dust, grounding flights and sending thousands to hospitals.
===========================================================
Clients are reminded:

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть