The problem of Irtysh came to the international level!

Water is the same value as oil, gas and other natural minerals. It is necessary for needs of agriculture, power, industry, household and physiological needs of people.
According to the experts of UN the specified deficiency will accrue in the long term, especially taking into account the climate change that will subject to risk development, including our region. Therefore there is a need of a steady and fair mode of water use, in particular the cross-border rivers. However its introduction encounters now the obstacles which are artificially created by the certain states.
In this respect Russia and Kazakhstan have a certain misunderstanding with People’s Republic of China. The significant amount of the big and small cross-border rivers proceeds to us from China through Kazakhstan, which drain on the average more than 21,0 km ³ in a year that makes from 20 to 30% from the general superficial water resources of our countries. Despite it China which didn’t join two fundamental international agreements — Convention on the right of non-navigable types of use of the international water currents (1997) both Convention on protection and use of cross-border water currents and the international lakes (1992) tightens the conclusion of the full agreement on regulation of relationship on sharing of the cross-border rivers on various pretexts.
With what the similar position is connected?
It is known that now the government of the People’s Republic of China realizes the program of social and economic development of the western regions, providing the broad development of water resources of cross-border Irtysh for development of irrigated agriculture, animal husbandry, hydropower, providing oil branch and quickly increasing population of Xinjiang (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region the People’s Republic of China). Large-scale works on construction of channels, reservoirs, hydroelectric power stations and other hydropower constructions on the above-named waterways are developed. Billion U. S. dollars are annually allocated for their construction by only the central government.
Under certificates of our neighbors the Kazakhstan party, despite high water content of this pool, already now lacks water resources and has very intense water management balance. The mean annual water drain of the Irtysh River makes over 30 cubic km. from which about 1/3 part arrives from the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
The maximum loading of the Irtysh-Karamay channel operated by the Chinese party since 2000 on the Irtysh River, makes 840 million cubic metres, providing pumping water in oil layers on Karamay crafts and expansion of the areas of irrigation agriculture. Soon 9 reservoirs will be put into operation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, 8 more in medium-term, including the largest in the region hydroelectric power station «Qiaobate» which design capacity will make 524 megawatt; the volume of investments is about 1 billion US dollars. From 2010 to 2013 26 more projects on construction of new and reconstruction of operating reservoirs in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are planned and almost executed. More than 441 million US dollars is allocated for the specified purposes.
For example, in June, 2010 the construction of four reservoirs in districts Burchum, Fukhay, Emin, Toly of Altay and Tarbagataysky districts with the use of waters of the Irtysh Rivers and Emel is begun. On the river Burchum (inflow of Irtysh) the hydroelectric power station «Chunkur» is put into operation in November, 2010 with the capacity of 110 megawatt. At the end of 2014 the commissioning of hydroelectric power station «Kuygan» with the capacity of 120−150megawatt is planned. Works on dam construction for hydroelectric power station construction in riverheads of Kyran (inflow of Irtysh) are conducted, and also numerous irrigation canals are under construction. Also it is only official data — about how many similar objects we still don’t know!
Thus, the construction of the cascade of reservoirs and drainage channels on inflows of Irtysh will bring in a result to that the general fence of water from the river can increase to 40% from an annual drain of this waterway that can cause serious damage to flora and fauna, and also will change climatic conditions below on a current — in Kazakhstan and Russia.
By estimates of foreign experts, the broad withdrawal of a drain of the river by China threatens our states with ecological disaster, climate degradation, causing damage to fishery, decrease in productivity of crops, increase in concentration in water of harmful substances, emergence of deficiency of a drain for the power, transport and nature protection purposes, deterioration of conditions, up to the navigation termination across Irtysh in the territory of Kazakhstan and in the Omsk region of the Russian Federation during the shallow periods.
Due to the increase of similar threats Kazakhstan undertakes active diplomatic measures for the solution of a water problem in recent years. Within bilateral cooperation the Joint Kazakhstan-Chinese commission is created which annually holds meetings of the joint working groups of experts. Attempts of discussion of this problem in the tripartite format «Russia-Kazakhstan-China» are declined by Chinese on various pretexts.
During numerous bilateral meetings the Chinese diplomats try not to touch on the most acute issue — a problem of increase of level of a water intake from the cross-border rivers. There is the impression is that the Chinese party without refusing, but tightening or leaving from discussion of basic problems of long-term character, seeks to finish the planned own water management projects prior to monitoring of a situation and to confront the Russian and Kazakhstan side with a fait accompli large-scale use of trans-boundary water resources in the territory of the Chinese Xinjiang.
However, the fight on a diplomatic field proceeds. The problem of Irtysh gains relevance every year, draws attention of the international organizations, unites scientists and the politicians, seeking to affect a position of China. The public and the leaders of our countries in the face of threat of an ecological disaster will mobilize all forces and means for achievement of recognition of the international standards and the principles in the field of water use by China.
After all if to judge sensibly, the water resources are the general property, one of bases of future development of all countries and don’t depend on frontiers; their volumes are extremely limited, and a main goal of management of them is the achievement of general welfare of the people and the states, instead of prosperity of the certain state.