By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : Arab water ministers have approved the establishment of an Arab ministerial water council under the umbrella of the Arab League.
Syrian Irrigation Minister Nader Al-Buni told a press conference held at the conclusion of a meeting of Arab water ministers Wednesday.
The Syrian minister, who chaired the meeting, welcomed Algeria’s hosting the constituent meeting of the council in June 2009, contending that the proposal would be a “major step” on the road to coordinate Arab stances, in dealing with many water-related challenges facing the Arab region.
He noted that the ministers discussed an agenda item on preparations for the Fifth Global Water Forum in Istanbul in March 2009; the largest and most important gathering of international non-governmental bodies on global water issues.
Al-Buni said that the ministers agreed to prepare a paper containing a unified Arab vision to be enclosed in the Forum.
As for international reports saying that the Middle East would witness regional wars over water at present or in the future, the Syrian minister described such reports as “malicious”.
Al-Buni pointed out to the seriousness of the water theft issue committed by Israel, which occupies Arab land, affirming that there was an Arab consensus on rejecting Israel’s theft of Arab water.