CA-NEWS (KZ) - Presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan state necessity of mandatory international expertise of the projects of construction of new hydroelectric power facilities in the region. Head of the State Nursultan Nazarbayev said it at a press conference following the negotiations with his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov in Tashkent today, Kazinform reported.

"Today we have confirmed our mutual interest in soonest development of mutually beneficial mechanism of joint usage of water-energy resources in Central Asian region and activation of work of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea", the Kazakh Leader noted.

According to Nazarbayev, the international expertise must be carried out at the Ragun Hydroelectric Power Station in Tajikistan, at Kambarata facilities in Kyrgyzstan for their ecological and technological safety as well as for regulation of water runoff.

"Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan which are downstream countries need such guarantees in order to ensure their ecological and economic security. The point at issue is water provision of millions of people", the Kazakh President stressed.

Nazarbayev said he had discussed this issue with E. Rakhmon and K. Bakiyev prior to his visit to Tashkent. "They said they are ready for such expertise", he added. "Today we have agreed with Islam Karimov on construction of these facilities after receiving the results of the expertise", the Kazakh President stressed.

"We note readiness of our partners for cooperation and appeal our distinguished colleagues - President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon and President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev to set to such expertise and start construction only after receiving its results", N. Nazarbayev said.

"Our friends and colleagues should understand us. We realize their economic needs and the opportunity of receiving this electric power. We admit importance of this economic category for them. However, we raise these questions not to infringe their rights for construction of hydroelectric power stations. This is done for objective assessment of the projects", the Head of the State resumed.