Turkmenistan has proposed the establishment of a regional council on water management in Central Asian countries under the auspices of the United Nations. This was announced by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, speaking at the plenary session of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana, according to the news website Turkmenportal.

According to the Head of State, the proposed body could serve as an effective coordination platform for uniting the efforts of the region’s states in the water sector.

The Head of State emphasised that issues relating to the rational and equitable use of transboundary water resources require special attention. The President of Turkmenistan noted that Turkmenistan’s official position on this matter is clear and transparent.

‘We advocate that water issues concerning transboundary rivers and watercourses be resolved on the basis of the following three fundamental principles,’ emphasised Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

Among these, the Head of State cited strict adherence to fundamental international conventions and agreements on water use, equal consideration of the interests of all states located in the basins of transboundary rivers, and the broad participation of international organisations, primarily the UN.