The Legal Position of Iraq towards the Construction of the Turkish Alyso Dam Project on the Tigris

Abstract

Turkey did not send any notification to Iraq of the measures intended to establish the Ilisu Dam water project on the course of the Tigris River, and thus did not give the competent authorities in Iraq the opportunity to estimate the risks of constructing its dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Turkey’s lack of commitment to international agreements stems from its outlook and legal position regarding rivers, as Turkey does not consider the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from international rivers, but rather considers them transboundary according to the Turkish concept, so Turkey considers the Tigris and Euphrates rivers not subject to agreements on international rivers, but rather as wealth. It is a natural affiliate of its sovereignty, although many committees formed from international law, considering the Tigris and Euphrates rivers as part of the international rivers, are subject to all of its conditions, so Turkey should not violate international laws and promises to establish any water project to the approval of the participating countries in it was the river.