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Uzbek diplomat: Transboundary rivers should be used given interests of all states

Uzbekistan Materials 5 October 2011 12:27 (UTC +04:00)

Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Oct. 5 / Trend , D.Azizov /

Uzbek Permanent Representative to the UN Murad Askarov encouraged taking into account the interests of all states in the pool while using resources of transboundary rivers, the UN News Center said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the general debate of the Second Committee of the 66th UN General Assembly, Askarov drew attention to the economic development of Uzbekistan, and spoke about assistance to neighboring Afghanistan.

He said the socio-economic development of the whole Central Asian region affects the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea.

"Today, the Aral Sea region records a complex set of not only environmental, but also the socio-economic and demographic problems that have planetary consequences. UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon witnessed this when he visited the Aral Sea in 2010," he said.
He stressed that "under these circumstances, attempts to implement the projects on construction of giant hydro plants in the upper Amu Darya and Syr Darya are counterproductive and dangerous. These create serious threats to public safety, both in terms of environmental, social and technological hazards, as well as the conservation of volume and flow regimes of rivers" .

"We believe that, in addressing the problems, any action on the use of resources of transboundary rivers should take into account the interests of all states in the pool," he said.
He recalled the Uzbek President's initiative to build small hydro cascades with the same total capacity.

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