The Tigris and Euphrates River Basin

history

Modern(er) History

The Region

The Rivers Tigris 1,840 km – Second Longest in Southwest Asia 53 Billion Cubic Meters Annually 52% of flow originates in Turkey, 48% in Iraq Euphrates 2,700 km – Longest in Southwest Asia 32 Billion Cubic Meters Annually 98% of flow originates in Turkey % Removed for Irrigation before reaching Shatt Al-Arab

Past Treaties 1946 – “Treaty of Friendship and Neighborly Relations” – Allowed Iraq to construct hydrologic stations in Turkey 1967 – Iraq, Turkey and Syria form a Joint Technical Committee which resulted in exchange of information 1974 / 1980 – Attempt #2 /3 of the JTC 1987 – Syria and Turkey agreed to a treaty promising minimal flows of 500 m 3 /s in exchange for military protection from the Kurds 1990 – Iraq and Syria agree to share all water that flows from Turkey. Syria is allowed access to 42% of the water while allowing 58% to flow on to Iraq

The Helsinki Rules Syria and Iraq’s Argument: –Economic and Social Needs –Prior Use –Availability of other Resources Turkey’s Claim to the Basin: –Contribution to the Drainage Basin Area –Not a ‘international’ instead a ‘transnational’ river –Thus coincides with the Harmon Doctrine and upstream sovereignty

Construction on the River Ataturk –Major Turkish dam –Led to major dispute down river –Failed to meet 500 m 3 /s –Capacity of 48.7 km 3 Tabaqah Dam (Euphrates Dam) –Built by the Syrians –Led to armed threat from Iraq –Capacity of 12 km 3 GAP Project –Southeastern Anatolia Development Project

GAP Ideals To develop all of the land and water resources in the region in order to accelerate economic and social development To alleviate disparity between the south-eastern Anatolia region and the other regions of Turkey by increasing the production and welfare levels in the region To increase the productivity and employment capacity in that region. To meet the increased need for infrastructure resulting from population explosion and urbanization To organize economic and physical infrastructure in rural areas in such a way as to utilize the resources in the most useful ways and to direct urban growth in desired directions To contribute to the national objectives of sustained economic growth and export promotion by efficient utilization of the region’s resources 22 Dams to be constructed at $30 Billion

The Scenario

A Water War Case Study? The downstream riparian must be highly dependent on the water supply The upstream country must have the ability to control the flow of water downstream The rival countries have a history of mutual antagonism Downstream countries must poses military superiority

Issues/Solutions? How do we motivate Turkey to cooperate with its downstream neighbors? What responsibility does Turkey have to provide for Syria and Iraq? What will the consequences be if these issues are not resolved?

‘Neither Syria nor Iraq can lay claim to Turkey’s rivers any more than Ankara could claim their oil. We have a right to do anything we like. The water resources are Turkey’s, the oil resources are theirs. We don’t say we share their oil resources, and they can’t say they share our water resources.’ - Turkey’s Prime Minister Suleyman ‘Our policy now is to simply be very nice to Turkey and hope for the best’. - Syrian Government Official

References Dogan Altinbilek, “Development and Management of the Euphrates– Tigris Basin,” Water Resources Development 20 (1) (2004): ZAWAHRI, N.A.: Stabilizing Iraq's water supply: what the Euphrates and Tigris rivers can learn from the Indus. In: THIRD WORLD QUARTERLY, 27(6) 2006: Freeman, Kevin “Water Wars? Inequalities in the Tigris- Euphrates River Basin.” Geopolitics. Vol.6, No.2: Autumn. ICE Case Studies, Tigris-Euphrates River Dispute, 2/21/2008, Transboundary Water Challenges: Case Studies, D. C. McKinney, University of Texas at Austin, 2008 Venter, Al J.The Oldest Threat: Water in the Middle East. Middle East Policy, Vol. 1,