Turkey is taking advantage of its abundant supply of freshwater as a bargaining chip not only to help preserve national integrity but also to help its economy thrive, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran and an expert on Turkey said.
"The Southeastern Anatolian Project— aka GAP—has dramatically depleted water outflows of Euphrates-Tigris basins and upper Mesopotamia plains, spelling trouble for Iran, Syria and Iraq, yet Turkish official insist on their position that the venture is necessary to preserve unity among ethno-religious groups, including Turks and Kurds," Seyyed Asadollah Athari was also quoted as saying by ISNA.
GAP is a multi-sectoral regional development project based on the concept of sustainable development that is aimed at eliminating regional disparities by raising people's income and living standards.
According to the expert, the plan covers such sectors as irrigation, hydraulic energy, agriculture, urban and rural infrastructure, forestry, education and health.
June 17, 2018 19:21
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Turkey Water Strategy Causing Regional Anxiety
Environmentalists consider GAP a “regional massacre” as it gradually destroys the ecosystem in neighboring states like Iran and jeopardizes the lives of millions of people who depend on the water outflows from Euphrates-Tigris basins
The threat of water crisis weighs as much as terrorism and ignoring such a critical issue will have irreversible consequences
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