Middle East states talk canal to link Red and Dead seas

AMMAN, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) discussed in Paris on Wednesday an ambitious project to build a canal linking the Red and Dead seas and designed to prevent the latter's evaporation, a Jordanian official said.

The lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea has lost one third of its surface area over the past 55 years, and is expected to completely dry up within 50 years. The sea has shrunk by a meter every year as water from its main tributary, the Jordan River, has been diverted for agricultural and industrial purposes.

So far, the countries involved in the project have earmarked $5 billion for the project. France, the U.S., Italy, Japan and the Netherlands have pledged to contribute another $5 billion.

The remaining $5 billion needed to build a system of tunnels and canals to divert water from the Red Sea through the Arava valley in southern Israel and Jordan to the Dead Sea was expected to be raised at the Paris forum, Mousa al Jamaani of Jordan's Water and Irrigation Ministry said.

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) officials also attended the meeting.

The Middle East states focused on socioeconomic and environmental aspects of the project, Jamaani said.