Israel has agreed to purchase 50 million cubic meters of water from Turkey each year for the next 20 years. The deal was announced following a meeting yesterday between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan. The two countries have established a committee to plan how the water will be transported. Each cubic meter of water will cost Israel approximately 80 cents, according to experts' calculations.



Foreign Minister Peres met with Cakan this morning, and said afterwards that he hopes the day would not be far off when Syria permits the establishment of a water pipe from Turkey to Saudi Arabia to provide water to all the peoples of the region.