Kazakh, Tajik presidents consider water and energy problems
"An important theme was the water and energy problems we always face. Two rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, with 70 million people living beside. The lives of these people very much depend on them [the rivers]. Mutually beneficial cooperation, settlement of all the issues by negotiation are crucial for our peoples. The use of the resources of the transboundary rivers of Central Asia for the benefit of all peoples is very important. With Tajikistan, we have a joint stance in this regard. We underscored the search for mutually beneficial solutions in this matter," Nursultan Nazarbayev said in a joint statement to the press following the talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
The Head of State also stressed that the special role of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was highlighted in the negotiations. "We point out that this year Turkmenistan, that chairs [the Fund], is willing to host a forum in August. All of us will meet there," the President emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Head of State said that the sides exchanged views on the topical issues on the regional and global agenda, and discussed the issues of cooperation within the framework of international organizations, in particular, in the context of Kazakhstan's membership in the UN Security Council.
"We gave particular attention to the regional security issues, especially the events in Afghanistan that concern us all. In general, we once again confirmed the common vision, the similarity in the stance of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan in the international arena on all overriding issues," Nursultan Nazarbayev underlined.