Excerpt from Institute for War and Peace (IWPR) reporter John McLeod on border tensions developing in Central Asia over water for irrigation and hydroelectric energy production: Uzbekistan remains resolutely opposed to hydroelectric dams under construction in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which it believes will obstruct the normal flow of water down the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. The water is essential to its population and for its irrigated agriculture. Kazakstan and Turkmenistan are also dependent on this water, but have been less outspoken on the Tajik and Kyrgyz dam projects. Qurbon Yovshanov, a political analyst in Tashkent, notes that Nazarbaev mentioned water shortages in Kazakstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan during his meeting with Karimov last month. Yovshanov said Karimov was now trying to spur his Turkmen and Kazak neighbours on to more “radical measures” to block Tajik and Kyrgyz energy plans. http://iwpr.net/report-news/uzbeks-seek-turkmen-support-water-dispute