WordBulletin

World Bulletin/News Desk

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in southern province of Mersin for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Water Supply Project on Saturday.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay, TRNC Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk, TRNC Economy and Energy Minister Sunat Atun and other officials attended the ceremony.

Work on the project that foresees 75 million cubic meters of water being transferred from Turkey to the TRNC is continuing simultaneously in both countries.

The project is an international water diversion project designed to supply water for drinking and irrigation from southern Turkey to TRNC via pipeline under Mediterranean Sea. The project will be carried out by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works (DSI). It consists of the construction of a dam and a pumping station at each on both sides as well as a pipeline of 107 km running mainly under sea.

The project is expected to be completed on March 7, 2014.

Delivering a speech in the ceremony, Atalay said that they took another important step today for the project of the century.

Atalay said that Turkey would keep assisting Turkish Cypriots.