Premier Matteo Renzi on
Wednesday defended his government's decision to deploy 450
military personnel to defend Iraq's damaged Mosul dam while an
Italian company shores it up.
"On the military level we're doing the things that are
really useful, and rebuilding the Mosul dam is key - we can do
it because we're among the best in the world," he told privately
held RTL radio earlier today.
Italy's Trevi SpA, which among other things specializes in
foundations for dams and bridges, said Wednesday it is in the
final phases of negotiation with the Iraqi government for an
18-month contract for "emergency work" on the dam, to begin
immediately.
This will be followed up with a "permanent solution to
consolidate the dam," Trevi said in a statement.
The earthen embankment dam was built in 1984 on top of
gypsum, a soft mineral which dissolves in water. Continuous
maintenance is required to grout it and keep it from falling
apart.
Renzi announced the move Tuesday on RAI public
broadcaster's Porta a Porta talk show. The Mosul dam lies near
territory held by the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist insurgency,
he said.
"It is seriously damaged and if it collapses Baghdad would
be destroyed," the premier explained.
American military will also be deployed to protect the
dam, Renzi said.
US President Barack Obama on Monday called on the
international community to do more to fight ISIS, citing Italy
as being among the countries that are already stepping up to the
job.
Also on Wednesday, Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said
the troops will not go to Mosul in a combat capacity.
"We are not going to fight, but to intervene to preserve a
dam - a piece of infrastructure that is essential to the future
of Iraq and one that if abandoned, runs the risk of causing an
environmental disaster, " she told RAI's Agora talk show.
"Our troops are going to protect the work of the Italian
company that will carry out the intervention on the dam".
Located on the Tigris River upstream of the city of Mosul,
the dam built in 1984 by a German-Italian consortium under late
dictator Saddam Hussein is ranked the fourth largest in the
Middle East.
ISIS held the dam for several weeks in summer 2014, until
Kurdish Pershmerga fighters and the Iraqi army recaptured it
with assistance from US air strikes.
"The problem with the Mosul dam is that it was built on
rocks containing plastery material which dissolves in the
presence of water," said Carlo Crippa, Trevi's area manager for
Iraq.
"If cracks open up it worsens the condition of the
foundation rocks. It's necessary to intervene by drilling holes
and pouring in cement mixtures.
"It was neglected recently and now an emergency
intervention is needed".
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