“We mean not only the threats arising from the global warming, but also the serious problems and possible accidents and risks of technological character caused by the gigantic hydro-power installations in regions, which could seriously undermine the fragile ecological balance”, Uzbek official said.

“We speak about these problems having in mind the man-caused accidents at the largest world-known hydro-power stations and hydraulic installations caused by incompleteness in their design and operation (the example is the accident at the Sajano-Shushenskaya hydro-power station in Russia),” he said.

Uzbek Foreign Minister said: “We, who live in Central Asia, are seriously concerned that similar large hydro-installations operate today on water-flows of the largest transboundary Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya Rivers providing water to the population of all countries in the region.”

“An active manipulation by the public opinion and attempts to attract the wide-scale investments for building of another two new largest hydro-power stations - Ragun on the Amu-Darya river and Kambarata on the Syr-Darya river, are made today without taking into account that glaciers on Pamir and Tien Shan mountains - the basic source of water for these rivers - reduce from year to year and, which is particularly important, without thinking about possible tragic consequences that might occur in case of technological accidents at these installations, knowing that these territories are under seismicity measuring 9-10 and are prone to strong earthquakes,” the official said.

“In this regard, Uzbekistan will continue to insist that all planned construction of largest hydro-power installations in Central Asia must be implemented only after impartial expertise made by international experts under auspices of the United Nations in order to avoid possible catastrophic consequences. Reevaluation of existing large hydro-power stations on Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers that have been constructed in the Soviet period is also of an urgent need,” the Uzbek official said.