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“Water” as an instrument for development, not an asset to project and exert power to the Cyprus

• 25.10.2015
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How could “peace water project” boost Cyprus? October 26 2015 The water through an 80 kilometer Trans-Mediterranean pipeline from south of Turkey to the Northern Cyprus was completed and inaugurated by President Erdoğan 3 days ago. The water supply project will transfer 75 million cubic meters of drinking and irrigation water annually until 2040. The construction project was sensitive and complex, and highly dependent on weather conditions. Besides weather conditions, manufacturing high-density polyethylene pipes for the project affected completion date that was given before . The project, cost some 1.2 billion Turkish Liras (some €430 million), employed an experimental technology, where the under-water section of the pipeline was not laid on the seabed as is the traditional practice, but instead was suspended 250 meters below the surface of the sea. It is because this is the safest depth and the most sophisticated submarine does not go below 200 meters. Each 500-metre section of the suspended pipeline was tethered to a total of 140 cement anchorage blocks of 220-tonne each on the seabed with steel ropes. Floats were used to help keep the pipeline in place. Half of the 75 million cubic meters of water will be delivered to Lefkoşe, Girne, Magosa regions respectively after being treated through an internal distribution network of a total of 475 kilometers. Could the project bring more than water? Yes. This project cannot be considered merely as a simple water carrier system. It has to bring more than water to Cyprus Island. It is for sure that water and energy will play the most important role for the future of the Island if they are used in a sustainable manner. Even the implementation of such a project is very difficult and unique in the world. The most important part is not to built such a project and bring water to Island, but to use water for sustainable development, peace and stability in the Island as well as Eastern Mediterranean. These kind of strategic projects require ultimately goal oriented approach, political will and different way of thinking to share the benefit of the project. However, the project has drawn harsh criticism from certain circles in that it will further increase dependence on Turkey, increase demand for water rather than satiate it, and cause an environmental catastrophe. On the environmental impact concerns, it has been done the best to minimize the damage. On international relation concern, Turkey should consider new relations and development opportunities which are different from those in the Cold War era politics . Not only bulk water supply but also effective water management collaboration in the region is necessary for a sustainable water management. This water supply project is only a tool to make a further step in water and energy sources cooperation in the region. Turkey's aim is not to project power to region through this water project, elucidated from realities depicted below;

• Eastern Mediterranean security architecture has a critical balance and it is protected by super powers,
• The project seems to be only a step to somehow lessening water problems of the whole Island. It requires more water after reshaping water management system in the Island and acknowledging benefits of sharing approach for future.
• The project is not large enough to tie Cyprus to Turkey in terms of dependency,
• The project benefits will be seen not in less than five years.
• An array of decision makers in Turkey have persistently stressed that the project was aimed not only for Northern Cyprus but the whole Island, and for peace and stability in the region.

Therefore these harsh criticisms impede reaching a collaborative approach which is vital for the Eastern Mediterranean. If we are curious to see real effects of this project in current state in the Island, we should focus on preparation of soil, farmers and raising social awareness on water use habits to avoid wasting and water management rather than impractical and useless international relationship. Its benefits depend on how the water is used in a sustainable and peaceful manner away from 20th Century's old paradigm in many respects. That fresh water is not a resource from which a nation exploits to exert power should be a norm and furthermore an international sacrosanct unlike oil and natural gas practices. There is also a greater urgency to manage water more effectively as opposed to oil and natural gas management. On the contrary to the past, we are compelled to change our mindset by the nature itself, and we can’t fight the force of nature. “Water” is a vital instrument for development but not an asset to exert and project power to the Cyprus unlike in the past.