The issue on $2 billion Russian investment in the Kyrgyz energetic can remain unsolved for indefinite period of time. The Uzbek President Islam Karimov addressed the request to the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev to influence Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in hydropower question. This issue was discussed during the visit of the Russian President to Uzbekistan last week.
Tashkent decided to table Russia – USA geopolitical contest map in the region. The same purpose served for Uzbekistan’s public leaving from Euroasian Economic Community. One of the main reasons to quit was unsolved problems of usage of transboundary rivers. Negotiations on construction of new hydro power stations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan would help the two republics reduce gas dependence on Uzbekistan. Besides that, they’d be able to dictate their terms to the neighboring country whose territory is lying downstream the two largest waterways of Central Asia.
“This question has been under discussion for a long time on different levels. I mean on the West, first of all. The largest countries are interested in this issue, hoping to access to transboundary rivers water resources. And now the future of 50 million people depends on this matter,” Islam Karimov said.
Tashkent establishes its position related to hydro power projects not at the first time. Islam Karimov criticized them on Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Summit in Bishkek, 2007. At that time Russia announced the $2 billion investment possibility into the Kyrgyz economy. These funds were planned to be invested into new power objects’ construction.
The next one year and a half they raised the issue on $2 billion but did not solve it. Moscow explained it by absence of concrete construction objects in which Russia can invest the money. Bishkek by the time planned to make an international expertise of Kambarata uncompleted construction project. Having discussed economic cooperation issues in Moscow the Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov said that Kyrgyzstan has the right to pretend to one third of Naryn’s flow, which would be enough for realization of strategically important projects in the energetic.
Dmitry Medvedev stated the necessity of the expertise while his visit in Tashkent. “The construction of hydro power stations in Central Asia should meet the interests of all neighboring countries and should correspond to international right’s norms of transboundary rivers’ usage. It is impossible to act isolated. It can cause a tension to be solved not by economic but by political means,” he said.
According to Russian experts, Russia plans to take the initiative over the USA and to strengthen its position in Central Asia.
The issue on Kambarata hydro power station construction becomes hydro power diplomacy leverage in Central Asia, which Kremlin intends to use in nearest future. Who takes the benefit of the Naryn issue will be clear by the next month. Kurmanbek Bakiev will leave to Russia in February to take part in CSAO and EAEC summits. The membership of these organizations brings Kyrgyzstan some preferences. What will prevail?
