ISTANBUL - Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Yossi Paritzky said on Friday that Turkey and Israel reached agreement on price and amount of Manavgat Brook water to be sold to Israel and how long it would be sold.
Paritzky told a press conference that the agreement would be signed in a few days.
Stating that Turkey and Israel were situated in a wide region including East Europe and West Asia, Paritzky said that more than half of oil and one-third of natural gas in the world were produced in that region.
Paritzky noted that if they united their forces with a common market understanding, it would be for their benefit and it would be a significant progress for their people and the whole world.
Asked when the water transfer would start, Paritzky hoped it would start soon and said that two countries agreed on principles.
Paritzky guessed that the agreement would be signed in a few days and said that they should now deal with the transfer of water.
Pointing out that transfer of Manavgat water was not easy, Paritzky said that they had built big tankers for transfer of 15 million cubic meters of water.
Paritzky stated that other methods could be used besides tankers and a proposal was laid down to carry water by balloons.
Noting that transfer of water by balloons tied to ships was proposed, Paritzky said that he could not know how they could achieve that when the sea conditions were taken into consideration.
Stating that they should firstly complete the agreement, Paritzky said that Turkish government wanted review of some parts of the draft before signing it.
(BRC-AÖ) 03.10.2003