ANKARA - Israeli First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, Labor, Industry and Trade Ehud Olmert met on Thursday Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler.
Holding a joint news conference following the meeting, Guler said that energy and irrigation topped agenda of the meeting.
''There are six projects in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region. Earlier, agreements were signed with Israel about these projects. However, they were suspended due to lack of financial source. Now, we want Israel to put at least a few of these projects into practice,'' he said.
Guler noted, ''we also discussed issues of modernization of existing power plants and renewable energy.''
Meanwhile, Olmert said that they also attributed great importance to putting into practice the projects in the GAP region.
Upon a question about transportation of water of Manavgat Stream to Israel, Guler said, ''a frame agreement was signed between Turkey and Israel earlier. We plan to transport 40 percent of waters of the stream. Details of the transportation will be clarified soon.''
(UK-AÖ) 15.07.2004