Khaberni - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Friday evening an agreement on water sharing between the United States and Mexico, after Mexico refrained from fulfilling its obligations under a treaty, which prompted President Donald Trump to threaten imposing additional tariffs.
The department stated in a declaration, "Today, the United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to fulfill the current water obligations towards American farmers and livestock producers, and to cover the water shortage in Texas under the 1944 treaty."
The department clarified that the agreement applies "to the current cycle and the water shortages from the previous cycle."
The two nations will continue their discussions to finalize the plan by the end of January.
Donald Trump had accused Mexico on Monday of violating the water sharing treaty that obliges the United States to provide 1.85 billion cubic meters of water annually from the Colorado River, and Mexico to provide 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Bravo (which Americans call the Rio Grande).
However, Mexico has significantly delayed fulfilling its obligations, according to Washington, which asserts that its southern neighbor has accumulated a deficit in the water quantities it was supposed to provide exceeding one billion cubic meters over the past five years.
Donald Trump wrote, "This breach causes severe damage to our beautiful crops and livestock in Texas."
According to the Department of Agriculture, Mexico has agreed to provide 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week to compensate for the accumulated shortage.
The department's statement quoted U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins saying that Mexico has provided in one year an amount of water that exceeds what it had provided in the previous four years combined.
This agreement is "a step in the right direction, but President Trump was very clear: if Mexico continues to fail in meeting its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose a 5% tariff on all Mexican products" imported into the United States, according to the secretary.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her hope of reaching an agreement with Donald Trump.
A Mexican Foreign Ministry official, Roberto Velasco, confirmed Mexico's full commitment to providing the water quantity due from previous years, according to the treaty, and ensuring water supplies from Mexico. He noted that due to the size of the pipelines, "it will not be possible to provide the water quantity requested by its American counterpart in a very short time."
