No. 21 (145) October 2007

48^th REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR WATER COORDINATION IN CENTRAL ASIA

48th ICWC Meeting was held in Khodjent, Tajikistan, 11 October 2007 under the chairmanship of Saidi Yokubzod, Minister of Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan.

The following items were on the agenda:

1. Vegetation period 2007 and confirmation of water withdrawal limits for the non-vegetation period in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins.
2. Results and prospects of work completion under the ADB RETA 6163.
3. Development of work principles under the ‘Central Asia Regional Water Information Base (CAREWIB)’ Project for national information systems.
4. Statute on ICWC.
5. Agenda and venue for the next 49th ICWC meeting.

ICWC members took into account the information on measures of BWO Amudarya and BWO Syrdarya for implementation of water withdrawal limits and ensuring of the adopted operation mode for reservoir cascades in the vegetation period 2007. At the meeting, water withdrawal limits for the non-vegetation period 2007/2008 in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins were approved. BWO Amudarya was instructed to agree the predicted operation mode for reservoir cascades on the river with the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Tajikistan. BWO Syrdarya was instructed to agree the proposed operation mode for the Naryn-Syrdarya reservoir cascade with energy agencies of the parties as soon as possible.

The meeting participants took into account the information of the Regional (RWG) and National Working Groups (NWG) on the completed work under the ADB RETA 6163. The leaders of NWGs were instructed to ensure completion of the work planned in the program by the end of 2007. The Tajik party discarded its remarks on the Preamble, Articles 2 and 3 of the Agreement on the Use of Water and Energy Resources in the Syrdarya River Basin. Item 6.1 was agreed as follows: “Prior to confirmation of a new strategy for water allocation in the basin, the distribution of limits on water withdrawals from the channel of the Syrdarya river (Annex 1) and its major tributaries including Chirchik river for the hydrologic year among the parties is assigned according to the Corrective Note to the Revised Scheme for Integrated Water Resources Use and Protection in the Syrdarya River Basin approved by Protocol No.413 of the Scientific and Technical Council of the USSR’s Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources dated 29 February 1984 for 5 years and is automatically extended to the next five-year period, if no written proposal on this question is received from any party within 6 months”. NWGs were instructed to continue the work on the mentioned Agreement

The participants approved the principles for national information systems development proposed by SIC ICWC, implemented within Phase 2 of the CAREWIB Project according to the signed Memoranda. ICWC members together with SIC ICWC will ensure establishment of national focal points and provide support for preparatory activities carried out during the bridging period of the CAREWIB Project. ICWC members express gratitude to the Swiss agency for Development and Cooperation for active support.

The participants took into account the information on work on the draft Statute on ICWC and draft Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Development of Interstate Water Resources in the Aral Sea Basin. As the Kyrgyz NWG members did not initial the mentioned draft documents, the meeting participants asked ICWC member B.T. Koshmatov to take measures for consideration of the mentioned draft documents within a month, agreeing with ICWC members on a polling basis. Considering the importance and value of the mentioned draft documents, it was decided to review and confirm them at the next ICWC meeting.

The next 49th ICWC meeting is planned to be held in the second ten days of February 2008 in the Republic of Uzbekistan. ICWC members approved the agenda of the 49th ICWC meeting:

1. Progress in implementation of water withdrawal limits and ensuring of adopted operation mode for reservoir cascades on the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers in the non-vegetation period 2007/2008.
2. Program for providing financial-economic activities of ICWC and its executive bodies.
3. Progress in activities under the ADB RETA 6163.
4. Results of the IWRM-Fergana Project assessment.
5. Statute on ICWC and Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Development of Interstate Water Resources in the Aral Sea Basin.
6. Results of the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit.
7. Agenda and venue for the 50th ICWC meeting.

ABOUT THE PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADB RETA 6163 “IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF SHARED WATER RESOURCES IN CENTRAL ASIA”

Working meeting to discuss regional water policy

A work meeting of Subgroup 3 on Development and Matching of Detailed Methodical Recommendations for Accounting of Basin-Wide Costs, Data Collection and Assessment of Actual Damage from Amudarya and Syrdarya Water Resources Use Regimes was held in Tashkent on 2-3 October 2007 within the framework of the ADB RETA 6163 “Improved Management of Shared Water Resources in Central Asia”.

The aim of this meeting was to make up a list of annual basin-wide costs of the states and assess actual damage from Amudarya and Syrdarya water resources use regimes.

Following the presentations made by Project Director V.A. Dukhovny and Leader of Subgroup 3 R.K. Yusupov and exchange of opinions, the participants decided on the following:

The developed List of annual basin-wide costs of the states and the Assessment of actual damage from Amudarya and Syrdarya water resources use regimes shall be recommended for consideration of ICWC.

National Working Groups (NWG) shall reserve the right to make amendments and supplements to the List of annual basin-wide costs of the states and Assessment of actual damage from Amudarya and Syrdarya water resources use regimes.

NWG members to Subgroup 3 shall submit their methodical recommendations on the adopted items of the List not later than 15 November 2007.

Meeting of the Regional and National Working Groups

The meeting of the Regional (RWG) and National Working Groups (NWG) took place in Khodjent city on 11 October 2007. Having discussed the progress in the completion of the ADB RETA 6163 for this year, the representatives of NWGs and RWG agreed on the following:

Subgroup 1: On development of rules for fulfillment of procedural obligations and recommendations for improvement of the rules for regulation and management of water and energy resources in the Syrdarya river basin. Draft rules and recommendations were prepared. The Tajik and Uzbek NWGs did not submit their materials. All the subgroups should submit their materials before 1 November. The RWG shall prepare from 1 November to 1 December 2007 a final document and send it to all members of the working subgroups. The meeting will be held from 10 to 15 December 2007. Agreed materials should be submitted to ICWC members before the end of the year.

Subgroup 2: On more precise definition of channel losses in the Amudarya midstream and downstream. The subgroup submitted a detailed report. At the suggestion of the Tajik party, this document was sent to the Ministry of Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan with a request to express their opinion as regards this. After receipt of opinion from the Tajik party, the materials will be submitted to ICWC members.

Subgroup 3: On development and matching of detailed methodical recommendations for accounting of basin-wide costs, data collection and assessment of actual damage from water resources use regimes. A first version of cost breakdown structure was prepared and sent for agreeing to NWG leaders and for preparation of basin-wide costs for 2006. Members of the subgroup for NWGs should submit their methodical recommendations on the adopted items of the “List” no later than 15 November 2007. All activities should be completed, agreed at NWG and RWG level, and sent to ICWC members before the end of the year.

Subgroup 4: On revision of the draft Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Development of Transboundary Water Resources. The operation of the subgroup was completed without participation of the representative from the Kyrgyz NWG, to whom materials agreed by the other participants were sent. The Kyrgyz party is asked to accelerate agreeing these materials.

Subgroup 5: On preparation of a register of interstate objects. For this subgroup, NWGs should submit a list of objects before 10 November 2007.