DUSHANBE, February 26, 2009, Asia-Plus — Presidents of Uzbekistan (Islam Karimov) and Turkmenistan (Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov) have come out against construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan and the Kambarata HPP without international examination of these hydropower facilities.
According to a number of regional and Russian media, they remarked this at a joint press conference in Tashkent yesterday.
Regnum, in particular noted that speaking at the press conference, Karimov had noted that Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan shared the same stance on rational use of water and energy resources in the Central Asian region. He stressed that it was inadmissible to reduce flows of transborder rivers without international audit.
“Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan share a common approach on the necessity of taking into consideration opinions of all countries located in the transborder rivers flow and observing international law requirements while constructing hydropower plants on the waterways of Amurdarya and Syrdarya,” the Uzbek president said.
Karimov suggested that international examination of the mentioned projects should be carried out under the auspices of the United Nations. He pointed to the necessity of taking into consideration interests of the downstream countries.
Speaking to reporters , Turkmen President Berdymukhamedov noted that Turkmenistan also came out against education of transborder rivers flow without international audit.
As it had been reported earlier, addressing the Uzbek government session, the Uzbek president noted on February 13 that Uzbekistan does not rule out the possibility of participating in construction of large hydroelectric power plants (HPP) in neighboring countries, including Tajikistan. “In case of positive results of international water-and-ecological examinations, Uzbekistan may participate in construction of large HPPs in neighboring countries, including Tajikistan.” Karimov noted. The Uzbek head of state noted that each state had the right to construct large HPPs in order to produce cheap electrical power but ecological and water problems that might arise in downstream countries should be taken into consideration.
In the meantime, in a report released in at a press conference in Dushanbe, Deputy Energy and Industries Minister, Poulod Muhiddinov, noted on January 26 that it is not the first time we have heard negative statements by Uzbek authorities over construction of hydropower facilities on the transborder rivers. With support of the World Bank, the Ministry of Energy and Industries has hired international experts to examine the Roghun hydroelectricity project and the experts came to a conclusion that construction of the Roghun HPS would not pose any threat to ecology or water flow systems of the countries of the region, Muhiddinov said. The feasibility study outcomes have been coordinated with all countries of the region, except Uzbekistan that has refused twice to consider the examination outcomes, according to him. The deputy minister noted that the final version of the feasibility study should be finished during this year. “We will build the Roghun HPS despite somebody’s concerns,” Muhiddinov said. He noted that some international financial institutions had expressed wish to finance construction of this station. “Private foreign investors may participate in the project but controlling interest should belong to the Tajik government,” he said.
