Kritičari GAP-a kažu da što više Turska koristi te rijeke, manje vode dotiče u nizvodne priobalne države Siriju i Irak, Pitanje nizvodnih tokova dovodi do plima i oseka u političkim poteškoćama između te tri države.
Critics of GAP say the more Turkey utilises these rivers, the less water there is to flow to the downstream riparian states of Syria and Iraq. The issue of downstream water flows has created an ebb and flow of political difficulties among the three states.