At the moment, the rational use of natural resources, first of all, water energy resources, is one of the serious problems of the Central Asian region, the release said.

Different and ambiguous approaches in this sphere hamper development, create conflict situations and sometimes result in environment catastrophes. Fate of Aral Sea can serve as an example, drying up of which have tragic consequences not only for the people in Central Asia but also to a greater sub-region and event to all Eurasia.

Drying up of Aral Sea undermined the main basis in Aral Basin and led to a chronic shortage of irrigation and pure water. Salt and dust storms at the surface of dried Aral Sea destroy crops and plants. It caused great economic damage to fishing and hunting, as well as resulted in decrease of production level at pastures and yield of cultivated crops.

While addressing at the 48th and 50th sessions of the UN General Assembly the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov noted that the Aral crisis was one of the largest ecologic and humanitarian catastrophes in history of humanity and over 10 million people living in the Aral Sea Basin are under its impact.

The water resources of the Aral Sea Basin formed from renewable surface-water flow and groundwater runoff of natural origin, as well as return of water, formed in the result of economic activities. All water resources of the region confine with the basins of the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers.

In case of change of the current state of water resources of transboundary sources of the Central Asian states where over 50 million people live the region can face a greater ecologic catastrophe and problems with pure and irrigation water supply to population and agriculture sector of the countries of the region, systematic drought with all of its consequences.

All decisions on use of watercourses of transboundary rivers, including in construction of hydro power sites, should not affect ecology and infringe on the interests of neighboring territories. It should be underlined that the matter concerns the use of resources and watercourses of transboundary rivers, which supplied water to states and people, living along these rivers for over centuries.

The rational use of resources of transboundary rivers directly indicated at the UN Conventions on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context from February 25, 1991, for the protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes from March 17, 1992 and on use of international watercourses from May 21, 1997 which oblige to consider "ensure use of trans-border waters rationally and fairly taking into account their transboundary character at carrying out activity, which affect or can affect transboundary impact."

In case of damage, all measures on liquidation or decrease of its consequence should be taken and if needed compensation issue can be raised.

The UN decisions underline that watercourse countries are cooperating on sovereign equality, territorial integrity, mutual advantage and honesty, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.

In line with these requests of the UN Conventions, authorized international experts should give guarantees that hydro-power sites in the regions will not result in irreparable ecologic consequences and will not affect existing balance on use of watercourses of transboundary rivers by all states located in the basin of these rivers. Feasibility studies of the new hydraulic structures in the basin of transboundary rivers should undergo mandatory expertise of neutral international audit organizations.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank adhere to such principle position. Uzbekistan expresses hope that the position of these international financial structures will serve as an example to other organizations and states which will help to strengthen, in the final result, socio-economic security and stability in the region.

The investor-countries which expressed intend to participate in the implementation of such projects should also remember about adherence to these conditions.

This position is not a statement for exceptional rights of Uzbekistan on priority use of water resources of the transboundary rivers. Position of Uzbekistan fully meets norms of international law and rules in this sphere and it outcomes from them.

Each country has a right to implement projects on use of resources of transboundary rivers, including construction of new hydraulic structures, but in condition of careful independent feasibility and ecologic expertise based on openness and full awareness of all interested sides.

At the same time, two important conditions should be guaranteed. First, there should not be decrease of watercourse levels for the countries located downstream. Second, the ecological security which is already shaky of the region should not be damaged.

Uzbekistan, in its turn, will continue to adopt gradual measures on ensuring water-energy balance in the region in order to keep peace and stability, as well as strengthen security in Central Asia, the Ministry concluded.