Beattie's visit would have been the fourth in the last two weeks related to to the problem. In its latest assessment of the Turkish economy, a leading international rating agency, Moody's, said that in the medium-term Turkey offered various kinds of potential gain thanks to its geopolitical location. In its March 1996 report, the agency told its subscribers that Turkey had strong linguistic, ethnic and historic ties with the Turkish-speaking republics of Central Asia, and that since the collapse of the Soviet Union it had considerable influence on these countries. This puts Turkey in a potentially highly advantageous position. Turkey's trade with these countries flourishes with each passing day.
Turkey has a high population growth rate.
They also invited Turkey to another meeting between the three countries to discuss the water question. The head of the Syrian delegation, Muhammed al-Rifa'i, told Agence France Presse that Iraq and Syria would bring the problem to international and Arab platforms and would warn foreign companies who participate in the construction of dams on the Euphrates. We are keen to establish good relations with Turkey. The hurdle is the water issue. Rifa'i is heading a delegation of technicians for talks with Iraqi counterparts to coordinate their stand toward Turkey on the sharing of waters from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, both of which originate in Turkey.