This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 000404 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/R/E: DDOUGLAS 
ECA/PE/V/R/N: LMOODY 
EUR/PPD: CTEAL 
NEA/REA: CLAWSON 
NEA/I-PD: NBAYRASLI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL SENV IZ SY TU
SUBJECT: PROPOSAL FOR SUBREGIONAL PROJECT ON WATER 
COOPERATION 
 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy Ankara and Embassy Baghdad propose the 
creation of a special sub-regional project for working-level 
officials on water policy.  The goal of the project would be 
to bring together Iraqi and Turkish officials responsible 
for water policy for a look at US water issues in the hope 
that new relationships will be formed new channels for 
discussion opened. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Discussions on water between Turkey and Iraq are at 
a standstill.  There is a long history of mutual distrust 
and conflict between the two countries over the management 
of the Tigris-Eurphrates River basin system that they share 
(along with Syria and Iran).  Despite high level contacts 
since 2003, there has been little to no interaction or 
cooperation at the critical technical and working levels. 
 
¶3. (U) In order to encourage such interaction, we would like 
to attempt a more nuanced approach targeting professional 
level water officials.  Our hope is that by bringing 
together professional level civil servants on a program 
about water problems in a different context, the 
participants will engage in a more meaningful dialogue that 
will begin to break down their mutual distrust. 
 
¶4. (U) Our vision of the program is a three week project for 
approximately ten participants from Turkey and Iraq.  The 
project would focus on integrated management of river 
basins, including trans-boundary rivers.  Participants would 
meet their peers who work on technical issues and water 
policy as well as operational managers who turn policy into 
practice.  In preparation for this program, we would work 
with water officials from both countries to identify 
specific issues of common interest and importance that USG 
water officials could demonstrate to the participants. 
There are many examples of potentially programming 
opportunities, including US-Canadian cooperation on the 
Great Lakes and Souris River basin, as well as domestic U.S. 
river systems having multiple stakeholders, such as the 
Colorado River Basin. 
 
¶5. (U) We believe that this project would advance 
understanding of the purely technical aspects of monitoring 
and gathering data on these large watersheds.  In addition, 
we hope that the program would enhance the participants' 
understanding of bilateral/multilateral institutional 
mechanisms for exchanging data and collaborating on joint 
management of shared water resources. 
 
¶6. (U) Since this issue is of critical regional importance, 
we propose that the Department fund this project in addition 
to current International Visitor Leadership Program 
allocations for FY-06.  This would allow posts more 
flexibility in choosing their candidates, allowing for a 
broader spectrum of government actors. 
 
¶7. (U) Posts welcome the Department's input and response. 
Points of contact are as follows:  for Ankara, ACAO Ben Ball 
(ballbs@state.gov); for Baghdad, CAO Deborah 
Hart(hartds@state.gov) and ACAO Ilya Levin 
(levinid@state.gov). 
 
WILSON