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Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey refute reports that course of the Kur River will be diverted

28 December 2011 14:30 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijanâ€™s Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry: The step that will be taken by Turkey will not influence the work of the Mingachevir hydropower station

Baku. Sevil Zeynalgizi â€“ APA. â€œThe reports that the course of the Kur River will be diverted due to the construction of hydropower station in Turkey are false. Turkey is only going to use for the purpose of power engineering 285 million cu m of 1 billion cu m of water of the Kur River formed in its territory,â€ chief of the sector for environmental policy of the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry Mutallim Abdulhasanov told APA. He said Turkey has a project on use of a part of the water of the Kur River for power engineering and agriculture.
â€œThe relevant bodies of Turkey are working on economic feasibility of this project. The general plan of the Kur project has already been prepared. The ministry and the relevant government agencies have studied this issue. It has been determined that if the project is realized, it will not have impact on Azerbaijan,â€ he said.

Abdulhasanov said according to the hydrological data of many years, the volume of the water that flows in Azerbaijan is 2.17 billion cu m, while this figure is 1 billion cu m on Turkey-Georgia border.
â€œIf 285 million cu m water is taken from the Kur River, it will not have impact on the water resources, ecosystem of our country. Anyway, this is the sovereign right of Turkey. A state has the right to use 50 percent of the water resources formed in its territory. International conventions also confirm this right,â€ he said.

Chief of the sector said according to the international conventions, such projects are coordinated with the other countries of the region and after that a decision is passed.
â€œWork is being done in this field. The government of Azerbaijan, including Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources will also participate in the discussions and our countryâ€™s interests will be ensured. Azerbaijan has not received any concrete information from Turkey yet,â€ he said.

Abdulhasanov said the step that will be taken by Turkey will not influence the work of the Mingachevir hydropower station.
â€œThere is to be 9 billion cu m water in the reservoir, where this station is located. There is 15 billion cu m water in that reservoir,â€ he said.

â€œWe have reached an oral agreement with Georgia to take joint steps against possible drying up of the Kur river,â€ parliamentarian from the Republican Peopleâ€™s Party Ensar Oyut told APAâ€™s Turkey bureau. Drawing attention to the possibility that the construction of Besikkaya hydropower station can dry up the Kur River, the parliamentarian called on Azerbaijan to be more active.

â€œTender has been held on construction of Besikkaya hydropower station, preparations have been completed. If the construction of the station starts, a part of the water of the Kur River will flow into the Black Sea, this may reduce the water in the Kur River and even cause drying of some parts of the river in summer. Georgia is also concerned over this. Last week we discussed this issue in Tbilisi with Georgian President, speaker of the Parliament, two ministers and parliamentarians. According to the oral agreement, Turkey is to construct a new hydropower station in the territory of Georgia and a part of the energy produced there is to be given to Turkey. In this situation Besikkaya project may not be realized and the threat of drying of the Kur River will be eliminated. According to the agreement signed between Turkey and the Soviet Union on January 8, 1927, the Kur is considered an international river and is the wealth of Georgia and Azerbaijan, which were once a part of the USSR, and are now independent. Therefore, I want Azerbaijan to join Georgiaâ€™s protest. If the construction of Besikkaya hydropower station starts, this may be disastrous for the Kur river and water resources of Georgia and Azerbaijan. We will discuss this issue with our Azerbaijani brothers next week,â€ he said.

Chairman of the Georgian parliamentâ€™s committee Vakhtang Balavadze denied claims that the course of Kur River will be changed due to the construction of hydro-power station in Turkey. Novosty Gruziya agency said recently some newspapers reported that this issue was discussed during the Turkish-Georgian talks and common decision was passed on changing Kur Riverâ€™s flow into the Black Sea. Balavadze said the construction of power station was discussed with Turkey, but there were no talks about the change of Kurâ€™s flow. But he acknowledged that this issue was on agenda a few years ago, but relevant decision has not been passed.

Tbilisi-based Resonance newspaper reported that due to the construction of Besikkaya power station in Ardahan province the flow of Kur River will be changed toward the Balck Sea and the river will not pass through the territory of Azerbaijan and Georgia further. The newspaper said the issue was discussed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.