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‘Turkey does not need any support to complete Ilısu project,’ says minister

Minister Veysel Eroğlu has said only the lower part of Hasankeyf, a section of no historical value, will be submerged by the Ilısu Dam project.
Minister Veysel Eroğlu has said only the lower part of Hasankeyf, a section of no historical value, will be submerged by the Ilısu Dam project.
Turkish Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu said on Wednesday the ministry does not need any financial support to complete Turkey's planned Ilısu Dam project on the Tigris River after Germany, Austria and Switzerland withdrew export credit guarantees for the project on Tuesday, citing the project's failure to adhere to World Bank environmental and heritage standards.

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The Ilısu Dam project, one of the largest undertakings of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), aims to generate hydroelectricity using the water of the Tigris River, which flows through Hasankeyf on its way to Iraq. The construction of Ilısu Dam began on Aug. 5, 2006, under the Ilısu Consortium, with Turkey's State Waterworks Authority (DSİ) and the cooperation of Swiss, German and Austrian export credit guarantee agencies. The most recent stumbling block came when the agencies asked Turkey to address humanitarian and environmental concerns and set 153 criteria to be met concerning the environment, relocation, cultural heritage and Turkey's neighboring states. The three countries ordered that work be suspended on the dam for 180 days, a period which ended on Tuesday.

Eroğlu, who previously said the government is very determined to complete the project, once again stated that the Ilısu Dam project will be completed under any circumstances. “Some circles are claiming that Hasankeyf will be [completely] submerged,” he said. “However, [only] the lower part of the town, which has no historical value, will be submerged, not the upper part, which has the most significant historical and cultural value. All the cultural heritage of the town will be preserved. Hasankeyf will become a spectacular point of attraction with this project.” Noting that the project will contribute to raising the living standards of the locals by providing job opportunities for them, he claimed that the project is an opportunity for Hasankeyf as its historical value will be highlighted.

He said the decision of Swiss, Austrian and German bankers to quit the project is not a technical decision but a political one. He said Turkey has the ability to complete the project on its own without any loans. “The DSİ has constructed many such dams in the past. This project will also be completed successfully,” he added.

09 July 2009, Thursday

TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES  İSTANBUL

   

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