Turkey delays dam plans, granting Iraq brief reprieve
Ankara puts off filling its Ilisu Dam for the second time to temporarily ease Iraqis' fear that their water shortage will worsen.
Turkey has stopped filling its controversial Ilisu Dam on the Tigris River and agreed not to resume the process until July 1, but Iraqis' fears for the river's future persist.
The political heat and popular frenzy against Turkey are ongoing in Iraq, with some Iraqis calling for Turkey to cancel the project. That's not likely, as the $2 billion undertaking has been in the works for 20 years. The dam is expected to begin generating electricity next year.
