§ Mr. SavidgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning disputes between Turkey and neighbouring states over water resources. [112097]
§ Mr. VazThe governments of Syria, Iraq and the League of Arab States have registered their concern about the potential impact of the Ilisu Dam on their water supply from the Tigris river. We have also received several letters from NGOs on the same subject. Water is a sensitive issue in the region because of scarcity of supply. The Ilisu Dam is, however, a hydro-electric project, not an irrigation proposal. Continued flow of water would be needed for the dam to function.