Turkey starts supplying power to Iraq, water on tap

ANKARA (AFP) Sep 17, 2003
Turkey has began selling electricity to Iraq and is also willing to supply kerosene and water to its war-ravaged neighbor, the Turkish energy ministry said Wednesday.

A private company has started supplying 70 megawatts of electricity from a mobile generator in the border town of Silopi, and is planning to gradually increase deliveries to 200 megawatts, said the statement, carried by Anatolia news agency.

Supplying drinking and irrigation water to Iraq by tankers as well as kerosene in return for fuel oil was also under consideration.

A delegation of Turkish officials was to visit Iraq soon to discuss how such projects could be carried out.

Turkey, whose trade with Iraq had long suffered because of UN sanctions, is now eager to win a share from lucrative reconstruction projects in the war-torn country.

TERRA.WIRE