DUSHANBE, June 11, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan hosts a regional roundtable meeting formally titled “Water and energy problems in Central Asia: Is Compromise Possible?” in Dushanbe on June 12.

The meeting is staged by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) Office in Tajikistan.  Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the chairperson of the IWPR Office in Tajikistan, Ms. Saodat Asanova, said that representatives of government institutions from Central Asia’s states, international organizations dealing with that problem as well as a number of independent experts and media would participate in the meeting’s work.

The meeting is aiming to discuss a number problems related to various aspects of water-and-energy problems in Central Asia causing numerous disputes and disagreements lately.  Experts will seek comprise compromise ways of coming out of the situation, Asanova said.

IWPR builds democracy at the frontlines of conflict and change through the power of professional journalism. IWPR programs provide intensive hands-on training, extensive reporting and publishing, and ambitious initiatives to build the capacity of local media.  Supporting peace-building, development and the rule of law, IWPR gives responsible local media a voice.

Established in 1991, the Institute now exists as an international network for media development, with not for- profit divisions in Europe, the US and Africa supporting training and capacity-building programs for local journalism, with field programs in more than two dozen countries.