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Press Association : February 15, 2000
By Jackie Storer and Sian Clare

Westminster Debates UK Support for Ilisu Dam

MPs URGE BYERS TO RETHINK SUPPORT FOR TURKISH DAM

MPs from all sides today urged Trade and Industry Secretary of State Stephen Byers to rethink his conditional go-ahead for a Turkish dam project.

Labour MP Kevin McNamara led the charge against Britain's potential 200 million support for the Ilisu Dam, which would mean the compulsory resettlement of 16,000 people including many Kurds whose homelands would be flooded.

In December, Mr Byers said he was ``minded'' to back the project which would be used primarily to supply hydro-electric power to the region.

But raising the issue in a short Commons debate, Mr McNamara said it was feared that the plan to dam the Tigris could have a more sinister use, like the restriction of water flow to neighbouring Iraq and Syria.

The project could create a ``dangerous flash point'', said Mr McNamara.

``The potential clearing of 16,000 people is a recipe for disaster and agitation, not only in Turkey ... but also in the surrounding regions and the rest of the Kurdish nation,'' said the Hull North MP.

Liberal Democrat MP Dr Jenny Tonge said in other countries the resettlement of the Kurds might be referred to as ``ethnic cleansing''.

Trade and Industry Minister Patricia Hewitt insisted the Government shared the MPs' concerns.

But she stressed that the Government's support for the project through granting Export Credit Guarantees would be conditional on Turkey sticking to environmental and resettlement conditions.

A final decision would not be taken until later in the year after the results of further reports were published.

``Our view is that by remaining engaged with this process, we can try to ensure that international standards are met and that, if and when the dam is built, it is to a high standard of construction, particularly important in a country that has in recent times suffered two major earthquakes with absolutely tragic effect,'' she said.

She also warned that Turkey, with its growing need for energy, might be tempted to build a nuclear power station if it could not go ahead with the dam. In a country prone to earthquakes, this could be risky, she said.

But Mr McNamara said ministers needed to ``make a clear and unambiguous statement'' of precisely what guarantees they had received from the Turkish authorities before granting support. ``United Kingdom support of Ilisu would be completely incompatible with sustainable development in an ethical dimension of foreign policy. I believe we should on no account support this project,'' he said.

``I find it incredible that a project of this scale has got to this stage with no examination of the costs and benefits,'' he added. Dr Tonge warned that the dam was only 40 miles from Syria and Iraq. '`It could be used to cut off their water supplies from the Tigris,'' she said.

``The fears of water wars are therefore not completely misplaced.''

The project would involve the flooding of 15 towns and could potentially displace as many as 20,000 people to the fringes of many cities, added the Richmond Park MP. ``It flies in the face of the Foreign Office's stated ethical foreign policy,'' she said.

Malcolm Savidge, Labour MP for Aberdeen North, feared there would be little in the way of compensation for those people forced to move.

But Ms Hewitt said the Government had decided to stay in the discussions over the dam rather than pull out in the hope of achieving more satisfactory outcomes in terms of environmental, human rights and resettlement issues.

She added: ``The reality of the matter is that Turkey is likely to proceed with the dam in any case. It could do so using Turkish companies or other constructors. The Turkish authorities have been saying for 20 years that they intend to proceed with the dam.''

There were real concerns about Turkey's human rights record and this would have to be addressed by Turkey if it was to succeed in becoming a member of the European Union. There were already signs that Turkey was bowing to the international pressure over the dam.

She added that the dam project could have major economic benefits for Turkey and hydro-electricity was a clean and renewable source of power.

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