Nijaifi, Turkey's President discuss Iraq's water share

Baghdad (NINA) – Speaker of Parliament, Usama al-Nijaifi, discussed in Istanbul with Turkey's President, Abdullah Gul, horizon of cooperation between Iraq and Turkey and means to develop bilateral relations in addition to guarantees Iraq's share of water.

A statement issued on Saturday, May 28, by the Speaker's Medai Bureau quoted Nijaifi during his meeting with President Gul saying, "Iraq respects Turkey's stand in not interfering Iraq's domestic affairs, but the issue of water problem is what concerns the Iraqis, calling on forming an agreement over guaranteeing Iraq's water share from Tigris and Euphrates rivers, like the one concluded between Syria and Turkey."

In the meeting, Nijaifi stressed the importance of Iraq-Turkey relations and to develop them in the interest of both countries, as well as Iraq's respect of Turkey stance in keeping equal distance from various Iraqi components.

For his part, President Gul asserted Turkey's keenness to consolidate and develop its relations with Iraq affirming that the issue waters ought not to harm the relations between the two countries.

He promised to play a positive and constructive role toward reaching a solution, after Turkey's next general election, through forming joint committees to look into the issue toward reaching an understanding.

Nijaifi arrived in Turkey on Saturday after noon heading a Parliamentary delegation, consisting of representatives of all political blocs, on an official visit to Turkey aimed to consolidate bilateral relations between both countries. / End.