Turkey rules out water cut to Syria

Turkey ruled out cutting its water flow to Syria as part of the sanctions on the unrest-rattled country over its crackdown on protesters and army defectors, Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman's website quoted Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying on Friday. While imposing sanctions against Syria, nations must make sure that the Syrian people are not harmed in this process, said Davutoglu at a conference in Istanbul on Thursday. Turkey is currently releasing 517 cubic meters per second on average, instead of the required 500 cubic meters per second, sacrificing its own needs, according to Today's Zaman. Back in early 1990s, Turkey once threatened water cut to Syria over its suspected connection with the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party. Earlier this week, Turkey suspended joint oil exploration plans in six wells in Syria but ruled out electricity cut out of humanitarian concerns. However, Turkish officials said they might reconsider cutting the power lines after Syrian pro-government protesters stormed Turkish diplomatic missions and burned a Turkish flag last Saturday, following the Arab League's vote to suspend Syria's participation and impose sanctions on it.