Doha, May 10 (QNA) - The 11th Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade discussed here on Tuesday a major report on water security, sponsored by Switzerland and Sweden "The Blue Peace": Rethinking Middle East Water", which was presented with input from almost 100 leaders, ministers, senior officials and experts in seven countries: Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The report, which is the result of a consultations process in seven countries over the last 18 months, aims to provide a comprehensive, long-term and regional framework for thinking about water in the region in light of a number of challenges mainly regional conflicts and climate change.
This framework recognizes the potential of water to deliver a new form of peace, while presenting long-term scenarios of risks of wars and humanitarian crises.
Participants in the seventh session on "Water in the Middle East" discussed means of enhancing finding out a common integration process as part aimed to reach a regional security system on water strategies on terms of management of hydraulic sources, water share and treatment in accordance with the related chief international legal documents.
They also put the accent on ' water is a source of conflict and also of peace", referring to a number of bilateral treatment signed in this regard such as the agreement, which was adopted by France and Germany on the "Rhine & Water".
The participants debated as well the importance of exchanging information between the concerned parties, implementing common projects, to put forward an innovative approach to engage political leaders, the public and media in harnessing and managing collaborative solutions for sustainable regional water management.
Participants from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Switzerland focused on a number of regional water agreements such as the bilateral accord signed between Syria, Iraq and Turkey related to waters of the Euphrates and Tigris basins.
Since 1962, Syria, Iraq and Turkey have been meeting on a regular basis to discuss water developments in the Euphrates and Tigris basins. The multipurpose Protocol of 1987 marked the first bilateral agreement between Syria and Turkey. In it, Turkey committed in writing to release a minimum of 500 m3 per second over the Syrian border.
Touching on Water in the Israel/Palestine Conflict, which is in hot dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians in light of the chronic water shortage, participants called upon building initiatives between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority in this concern.
On the objectives and strategies presented on "The Blue Peace": Rethinking Middle East Water" report, which was officially launched by Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of Switzerland in Geneva in February 10, it is necessary to define specific objectives so that goals can be set and strategies can be formulated.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), former Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said aims are to establish cooperation between Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Israel over the next 20 years.
The detailed 150-page roadmap aimed at achieving ten objectives, which are: the sustenance and replenishment of rivers, saving groundwater aquifers, managing demand and sectoral inefficiency, storage management, optimization and coordination of marginal water, containing environmental degradation, addressing internal and regional disparities and meeting the challenges of climate change and using water as an instrument of peace.
On the strategies, the report said a complex approach is required to address these objectives, which include enhancing supply through the establishment of a cooperation council for water resources in the Middle East, integrated water resources managements (IWRM), cooperation in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin, de-centralized water management in the Palestine Authorities, confidence building initiatives between Israel and PA, Red Dead Sea Canal and export of Turkish national rivers to the Jordan valley.
Panellists put an accent on the Cooperation Council for Water Resources as instrument to develop a shared and cooperative vision.
According to the report, such a council should be constituted by Heads of Governments or their High representatives and supported by institutional machinery to implement political decisions.
It is worth mentioning that Ministers and senior officials from Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey have received the report and it was presented in London, Stockholm and Brussels.
Among detailed sub-sections, the report elucidates ways for Israel and Syria to break years of deadlock over management of Lake Kinnernet (or Tiberias) on the Golan Heights, not with a breakthrough peace deal but an interim accord to manage the resource base as a "Regional Commons ".
For his part panelist Mr.Selim Catafago , President of Litani Water Authority in Lebanon said  we need to have a comprehensive model that takes in consideration all kind of challenges. (END)