Water project crucial for future of Turkish Cypriots, says TRNC President.

March 30 2012 (TUR) -- President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Dervis Eroglu said on Friday that the potable water to be brought from Turkey to the TRNC was crucial for the future of Turkish Cypriots and economy. President Eroglu received Turkish Forestry and Water Works Minister Veysel Eroglu, who came to the TRNC for a groundbreaking ceremony for Gecitkoy Dam, where water to be carried from Turkey to the TRNC would be impounded. Speaking to reporters while receiving the Turkish minister, President Eroglu thanked Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government for the water project. I made a promise that the water project would be completed on March 7, 2014, the day that also marks my birthday, Eroglu noted. Agriculture, tourism and education can not be performed without water. The water project is the project of the century. I thank you all for realizing this project. If Mr. Prime Minister Erdogan makes a promise, he fulfills it, Eroglu stressed. We are currently working on a project whereby electricity from Turkey would be brought to the TRNC. The water project is crucial for the future of the Turkish Cypriots and the economy, Eroglu underlined. The Greek Cypriot side experiences problems concerning water, if an agreement gets reached and they do want potable water, we may consider providing water to the Greek Cypriots, we will be very happy when water from Turkey reaches the TRNC, Eroglu said. -Minister Eroglu- Forestry and Water Works Minister Veysel Eroglu said that they had arrived in the TRNC to attend the groudbreaking ceremony for the Gecitkoy Dam. This is a project that connects the heart of the Motherland with the heart of the TRNC, Eroglu noted. An agreement has been signed for the construction of an underwater pipeline that would be 80 kilometers long, Eroglu stated. We have also prepared a project for the distribution of potable water in the TRNC. Prime Minister Erdogan has issued an order for the water to be available to Turkish Cypriots on March 7, 2014, Eroglu said. The water project is a tough one and is the project of the century, the completion of the project has been taken to a year earlier, the project would cost 1.1 billion Turkish liras, Eroglu stressed. The project will make it possible to carry 75 million cubic meters of potable water per year. Half of the water will be utilized in agriculture and industry while the rest would be consumed directly, Eroglu noted. -Atalay meet rectors- Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is also in the TRNC for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gecitkoy Dam, met with the rectors of universities in the TRNC at Lefkosa's Golden Tulip Hotel. Turkish Ambassador in Lefkosa Halil Ibrahim Akca and TRNC Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports Kemal Durust also attended Atalay's meeting with the rectors.

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