Ankara, (SANA) – Syria and Turkey signed on Thursday in Ankara a memo of understanding to set up a dam on Orontes River. The dam will be called the Friendship Dam. The memo was signed by Syrian Minister of Irrigation Nader al-Bunni and Turkish Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel EROGLU.

Minister al-Bunni said that Syria and Turkey agreed on managing water resources to serve the interests of all countries, pointing out that the cornerstone of this dam will be laid at the end of 2010.

For his part, Minister Eroglu said that Syria and Turkey will benefit from the dam equally in irrigation, electricity generation and avoiding floods.

The dam is expected to irrigate 10,000 hectares of arable land in the two countries.
Fadi al-Lafi .Mazen Eyon
From sana.sy