OCR Text |
Show "Official Gazette" of the East African Protectorate, June 7, 1916. 5» Tigris and Euphrates; Upper Jordan and Yannuk Great Britain and France - December 23, 1920. This treaty, which is a general boundary convention, contains the provision that the British and French Governments will nominate an international commission to study any plan of irrigation contemplated in the French mandated territory (upper riparian), the execution of which would diminish in any considerable degree the "waters of the Tigris and Euphrates at the point where they enter Mesopotamia (lower riparian) (Art. 3)» The dependence of all agriculture in Mesopotamia on irrigation from the Tigris and Euphrates is a matter of common knowledge. There is accordingly implied here the principle that the development of any new uses in the upper riparian state must take full cognizance of pre- existing established uses in the lower. The treaty further provides that experts nominated by the Administrations of Syria and Palestine will study the question of the employment of the waters o± the Upper Jordan and Yarmuk and of their tributaries for the purposes of ir- rigation and the development of hydro-electric power. In this connection two principles are set up. The first establishes "the needs of the territories under the French mandate" (in part upper riparian and in part contiguous) as receiving prior satisfaction. Secondly the French Government is to give its representatives "the most liberal instructions for the employment of the surplus of these waters for the benefit of Palestine" (in part lower riparian and in part contiguous) (Art. 8), Houveau Recueil General de Traites, 3me serie XII, 582 6. Lakes Huleh and Tiberias and the Jordan River Great Britain and France - February 3, 1922 This agreement which was the outcome of the investigation authorized by the two Governments (December 23, 1920) on the Upper Jordan and Yarmuk, makes pro- vision for the construction of a dam by the Government of Palestine to raise the level of the lakes Huleh and Tiberias, the second of which is international. The principle of the priority of uses in the French mandated territory (in part upper riparian and in part contiguous) is reaffirmed in the following terms: Any existing rights over the use of the waters of the Jordan by the inhabitants of Syria shall be maintained unimpaired." Martens, Nouveau Recueil General de Traites, Jme serie, xvii, 213 -18- |