DUSHANBE, May 20, 2011, Asia-Plus — Representatives of civil society from Central Asia’s countries participated in the first set of riparian information-sharing and discussion meetings on the Assessment Studies for the for the proposed Roghun Regional Water Reservoir and Hydropower Project (Roghun HPP) in Almaty, Kazakhstan on May 19. Representatives of all riparian countries except Afghanistan attended the meeting.
Tajik delegation members included internationally known seismologist, academician Sobit Nematulloyev, former Vice-Premier of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic Georgy Koshlakov, former chairman of Barqi Tojik Bahrom Sirojev, Communist Party (CPT) leader Shodi Shabdolov, representatives from the Association of Power Engineering Specialists of Tajikistan, etc.
Mr. Koshlakov told Asia-Plus on May 20 that experts from the World Bank presented the first reports outlining the methodology for the assessments. “They told us about what they now have on the assessment studies for the Roghun hydroelectricity project and what they will do in the future,” he said.
Tajik expert noted that consultants hired by the Government of Tajikistan proceeded to work only last month.
According to him, all participants of the meeting had an opportunity to speak on the subject. “Representatives of Uzbek public associations spoke again about potential damage by the Roghun power plant to Central Asia”s environmental balance and so forth,” said Koshlakov, “They repeated what we have heard many times. Uzbeks said nothing new.”
“The next round of negotiations is expected to take place in Dushanbe in august this year,” he added.
In the meantime, government delegations from the riparian countries took part in the meeting on the assessment studies for the Roghun HPP on May 17-18. Uzbek officials did not attend the meeting. In an interview with RFE/RL’s Tajik Service, the First Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Ghulomov, who headed Tajik government delegations at the meeting, noted, “We would like to discuss Roghun issue with representatives of Uzbekistan but they, unfortunately, have decided not to participate in these negotiations.” Mr. Ghulomov noted that there was nothing like discussing disputable issues looking each other in the eyes. Tajik official expressed hope that they would manage to discuss the Roghun hydroelectricity project with representatives of Uzbekistan at the next round of consultations scheduled for autumn this year.
