453 Javier Del Valle Melendo Water as a strategic resource... Figure 15: The area affected by the changes contemplated in the GAP project.66 This is a major project funded by Turkey and rejected by the neighbouring Arab countries, particularly Syria and Iraq, who can see how they are becoming increasingly dependent on Turkey which controls the use and management of water in the upper basins. Although Turkey proposed the construction of a large aqueduct (“a peace aqueduct”) to carry water from the Seyhan River (which flows into the Mediterranean Sea) to Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, the latter countries rejected it in a bid to avoid becoming over-dependent on Turkey. Turkey is currently using the power it has over water to pressurise its neighbour Iraq in exchange for oil and Syria in exchange for withdrawing its support for the Kurdish separatists, seeing as approximately 40% of the Kurdish population is living in Turkey, and is the majority population group in many eastern parts of the country. 66 http://ejts.revues.org/docannexe/ima...1-small480.png (consulted on 17 January 2014). http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
REVISTA IEEE 5
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