Baghdad: The Ministry of Environment discussed with the Turkish delegation, in the second meeting of the joint committee between Iraq and Turkey, the share of water coming to Iraq from Turkish lands, which was held at the Council of Ministers Guest House in the presence of high-level delegations from both countries. The Ministry stressed in a statement "the importance of close technical cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to achieve common interests and ensure Iraq's water rights in light of the increasing environmental challenges." It indicated, 'During the meeting, the two sides discussed a group of issues related to water distribution and the challenges facing Iraq in securing its water needs, the most important agreements and protocols signed between the two countries in the field of water, with a focus on the need to modernize and activate them in a way that is commensurate with the current changes, and the meeting dealt with technical necessary matters to achieve a fair and sustainable distribution of water, in addition to studying the environmental impacts and measures required to alleviate the severity of the water shortage in Iraq.' The ministry pointed out, "The importance of close technical cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to achieve common interests and ensure Iraq's water rights in light of the increasing environmental challenges," explaining that "cooperation is an important step towards achieving water security and environmental sustainability in the region." The two sides stressed the continuation of constructive dialogue and joint coordination to strengthen bilateral relations and achieve common goals in the field of water resources management. For its part, the Turkish delegation expressed Turkey's commitment to supporting Iraq in its efforts to achieve water security, stressing the importance of regional cooperation in facing common environmental and water challenges, and it was agreed to hold periodic meetings to follow up on the implementation of the memorandums of understanding signed by the President of the Turkish Republic and the recommendations and decisions that resulted from the meeting. Source: National Iraqi News Agency