TURKEY DETERMINED TO BUILD CONTROVERSIAL ILISU DAM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004462 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: ENGR SENV EAGR TU IZ SY SUBJECT: TURKEY DETERMINED TO BUILD CONTROVERSIAL ILISU DAM REF: A) ANKARA 4379 B) ANKARA 3691 C) ANKARA 3324 ANKARA 00004462 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Ilisu dam project on the Tigris River has been one of the most widely criticized hydropower dam projects of the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP). Despite the continued controversy, Turkey remains doggedly committed to building the dam. The Turkish press announced recently that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will lay the first foundations for the Ilisu Dam on August 5, but Ilisu's financing is still not assured. Environmental, archaeological, human, and political impacts have fueled international pressure against the dam and have deterred an earlier consortium. An Austrian-Swiss-German group is working on securing financing. End Summary. -------------- Crown Jewel -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Ilisu Dam marks the last of the major dam projects to be completed under the GAP project, the huge integrated power, irrigation, and rural development initiative in southeast Turkey. The 1200 MW Ilisu project, which will generate 3800 GWh of hydroelectric power per year, will be one of the largest hydropower projects in Turkey. This aspect is particularly enticing to Turkey which faces a looming electricity shortage (Ref A). One MFA official, Esen Altug, expressed the view that Ilisu Dam would be the last jewel in the GAP crown, referring to the importance of Ilisu in marking the "completion" of the GAP initiatives. -------------- Hydropower benefits -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Ilisu Dam is expected to help generate power for much needed regional development in and around the Hasankeyf/Batman area of undeveloped southeast Turkey, in addition to bolstering Turkey's shortfall in energy supplies. Currently, hydropower accounts for approximately 15-20% of the Turkish energy market. Ilisu dam output would equate to 55% of the electricity generated by the largest GAP dam, the Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates, which represents in turn 5% of Turkey's total energy production. -------------- Local Economy Boost -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In addition to the hydropower production, Ilisu is also expected to bring jobs, irrigation capacity, and agricultural development into the impoverished, ethnically Kurdish region. According to GAP, over 4,000 people are expected to be directly employed throughout the dam construction period (4-7 years). GAP estimates this figure as representing about 11% of all construction workers in the immediately surrounding region. The resulting total incremental investment in the region as a result of construction and power plant operation is estimated at 300 million Euros ($380 million). Associated activities like relocation and improvement of the infrastructure, new roads, settlements, bridges, railroads, electrical transmission lines and public buildings are expected to generate approximately $200 million for the local economy. -------------- Financial Challenges -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Turkey's State Planning Organization (SPO),which has the lead role in managing public investment, has allocated 321 million YTL (about $214 million) from the 2006 budget for the launching of construction on Ilisu dam. However, the GOT Treasury must first complete negotiations and secure the finance package before the allocated budgetary funds can be spent. Gaining the foreign credit needed has been elusive. The World Bank declined involvement in the project early on, citing that the project violates the UN approved "Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of Trans-boundary Waterways". Other agencies, such as EBRD and ADF, have all agreed that any projects financed by them must comply with highest EU environmental requirements. ¶6. (SBU) The initial construction contract (without tender) was awarded to Swiss companies: Sulzer Hydro and ABB Power. The construction was then subcontracted to a consortium of firms, including the British civil engineering firm Balfour Beatty PLC and Impregilo (Italy). Financing was being arranged by the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) and export credit guarantees were being sought from the export credit agencies of Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. However, in 2000, Balfour Beatty and Impregilo pulled out of the project, under pressure from environmental watchdogs and growing concerns over the quality of the environmental impact ANKARA 00004462 002.2 OF 003 assessment. Shortly thereafter, UBS ended its financial backing following continuing pressure from environmental and human rights groups. ¶7. (SBU) The construction contract is currently assigned to the Austrian company, VA Tech Group, which is part of the remaining German (Siemens)-Austrian-Swiss consortium. Financing for the project is still awaiting necessary joint approval by the three countries' export credit agencies. Gurdogar Sarigul, Manager of the Environmental and Sustainable Development Sector Office at the EU Commission Office in Ankara, confirmed that VA Tech was still planning on financing the Ilisu Dam project, but that they were also under pressure from the EU on Austrian compliance on environmental matters. Currently, direct negotiations have not begun on the approximately $1 billion dollar loan package proposed by the consortium in May 2005. Treasury has publicly complained about the high insurance premiums contemplated in the prospective package. DSI has called for domestic financing of the dam in the event of further delays or unreasonable cost in securing foreign financing. -------------- Environmental Impact of Ilisu -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The GOT insists that Ilisu would have a positive impact on the regional environment. In addition to regulating the flow rate of the downstream Tigris, the dam would create some 300 square kilometers of water surface, which the GOT says would create a favorable habit for many types of flora and fauna. ¶9. (SBU) Critics point out, however, that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) prepared for the Ilisu Dam site falls short of international standards. Concerns about solid waste and wastewater from the local cities have been voiced. Some critics fear that the reservoir would reduce the self-purification capacity of the river and affect the local fauna in the area. A local Birdlife International rep shared his organization's criticism of the EIAR and the treatment of endangered waterfowl from the project. Additionally, health concerns over the reservoir have also been raised, suggesting that the standing water in the reservoir would facilitate the spread of malaria in the region. VA Tech is currently conducting its own EIAR, and as an Austrian firm, is under pressure and obligation to conform to EU standards. -------------- Human Rights Issues -------------- ¶10. (SBU) One of the most controversial aspects of the Ilisu Dam project is its impact on the local inhabitants of the rgion. The Ilisu dam would flood some 52 villages and is estimated to potentially affect 15,000 to 20,000 people. Other sources place this number much higher (~78,000). Although the GOT has promised adequate compensation for displacement, and it has prepared a robust resettlement plan, critics are not satisfied that it will indeed be appropriately implemented. Critics have cited past resettlement projects in Turkey as a basis for their current concerns with the Ilisu dam project. -------------- Ilisu's Impact on Cultural Heritage -------------- ¶11. (SBU) The town most affected by the Ilisu dam will be Hasankeyf, with a current population of 5000 (mostly Kurdish). Remnants of buildings dating back to the early part of the last millennium are still standing in the town and the area has been touted as an important stop along the ancient Silk Road. In 1978, the town was awarded archaeological protection by the Turkish Ministry of Culture. In 1998, a protocol was signed between the Ministry of Culture, DSI and the Middle East Technical University (METU) for the execution of archaeological investigations in the Ilisu area. The institute TACDAM (Centre for Research and Assessment of Historic Environment) at METU has been acting as coordinator for the archaeological research. There are current plans to move the 22 historic sites out of the path of the reservoir and relocate them in a newly established "culture park" which will be situated along the banks of the reservoir. The plan is that the sites would enjoy enhanced protection and be more accessible to tourism. ¶12. (SBU) However, many critics have expressed their concerns over the viability of relocating the sites. The current condition of the various buildings is poor and there is concern that moving them might destroy them even further. One critic claimed that only 15% of the relics could be safely evacuated, leaving the remainder to be submerged by the reservoir. Others speculate that the monuments may not be able to be moved at all. ANKARA 00004462 003.2 OF 003 -------------- Regional Political Impacts -------------- ¶13. (SBU) The use of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers by Turkey has long been contested by its downstream neighbors, Syria and Iraq. Both countries have repeatedly raised concerns that Turkey's GAP project has negatively affected downstream river flows, leaving the two countries captive to Turkey for an ensured water supply. There is no current agreement among the three countries as to how the trans-boundary water resources should be shared and exploited by each country (Refs B and C),and dialogue and information exchange is sporadic. ¶14. (SBU) The Turkish position is that the Ilisu dam project would lead to both cleaner and more regular downstream water flows. For example, DSI Planning Department head Yalcin Dikmen explained to us that Turkey's storage of water is of great benefit to Iraq and Syria as it regulates the flow of the Euphrates River. Before the dam building spree, flows on the Euphrates could drop as low as 150 cms (cubic meters per second) during the summer months. Now the flow is stabilized at 550-1,500 cms year-round. He also pointed out that by having water stored in Turkey, Iraq would not have to build its own storage facilities and dams. ¶15. (SBU) Dikman also stated that Turkey has a more suitable topography for dam building than either of its downstream neighbors. Iraq's geology is more prone to evaporation problems and the use of dams would be an inefficient means of water management for Iraq, he asserted. As an example of how extreme evaporation effects are in Iraq, Dikmen pointed out that to rehydrate 1 million hectares of marshland would take 15 billion cubic meters of water. Despite these assurances from Turkey, Syria and Iraq remain skeptical that downstream flows will be unaffected. -------------- Domestic Political Dimension -------------- ¶16. (SBU) A key motivation for the GOT is that the Ilisu Dam is one of the few high-profile projects it could undertake any time soon to show the economic development component of its Kurdish/southeast Turkey policy. This is particularly relevant for Prime Minister Erdogan, who is a parliamentarian from nearby Siirt, his wife's hometown, and whose governing party, edging toward elections, has little to boast of in the southeast. Also, DSI is a powerful independent agency which prides itself on its engineering prowess and it is determined to build the GAP capstone dam. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶17. (SBU) Turkey's adamant position that it will build the Ilisu Dam will likely hurt the already weak dialogue with Iraq and lack of dialogue with Syria (Refs B and C). There may be merit in the position expressed to us by the Austrian Commercial Counselor that Austrian-German-Swiss financing (assuming unanimous support from the three credit agencies) would assure that environment, historical, and human rights issues would be addressed at highest international/EU standards. Failing delivery of this financing source, it appears unlikely that Turkey could finance this project on its own without drastic cuts in other, badly needed public investment projects. Turkey might find Russian, Chinese or other funding that would not assure these standards. A responsible Ilisu project would bring some benefits to the region for jobs and tourism. The emphasis on the hydropower benefits are relevant, but reflect that Turkey needs to develop a more comprehensive energy policy that assures a welcoming and unchanging foreign investment environment and provides for diversified sources of energy. Turkey's stubborn commitment to build this dam - at least as much political as economic - is symbolized by the announcement that Prime Minister Erdogan will lay the ceremonial first foundation on August 5 in advance of arranging financing. McEldowney