Turkey says the water - aimed to meet the north’s irrigation and drinking water needs for the next half century - could be shared with the Greek Cypriots once the island is reunified.

Nicosia’s foreign ministry said the construction of the pipeline taking water from a damn near the Turkish port of Mersin to breakaway northern Cyprus “violates global law”.

Cyprus is prone to droughts and Greek Cypriots rely on four desalination plants and a dam network for fresh water.

Turkey, as a benefactor and protector of the TRNC since its establishment in 1974, has always been planning to provide fresh water to the island, which lacks its own water resources. Only Turkey recognizes the KKTC and still maintains 35,000 troops in the north.

Noting that the participation of the Turkish President and Prime Minister in the inauguration ceremony reveals the political motives in view of the November 1 elections in Turkey, Omirou adds the Turkish assertion that the pipeline can solve the water shortage in Cyprus as totally unfounded. The project was officially launched in 2011 by Erdogan when he was prime minister.

The project comes at a time of renewed peace talks between Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Akıncı. “Then it will become a true ‘water of peace, ‘” a reference to the name of the project. Cyprus has one proven deposit off its southern coast that’s estimated to contain more than 4 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci and Prime Minister Omer Kalyoncu were also in attendance.

Ilhame Yildiz, 57, was among several hundred spectators who arrived at a water treatment plant in the north of the island.

Cyprus government officials also jumped in the debate, rejecting claims by Akinci that the water could potentially benefit both sides of the island, saying water from the north would not be even almost enough for the south alone.