DUSHANBE, December 10, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are the main partners of Russia for development of hydropower in Central Asia, Mikhail Pleshkin, the head of the department for international cooperation within the Russian Ministry of Energy, announced at an international conference “Economic Cooperation of Central Asia’s States with Russia: State, Problems and Prospects” in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on December 10, according to Kyrgyz news agency 24.kg.

 According to him, such a situation is explained by the fact that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan own the main share of water and power resources of the region, 24.kg said. 

Pleshkin noted that Russia gives priority to cooperation with Tajikistan, which is eighth place in the world in the reserves of water and power resources attached significance.  “This allows speaking about economic expediency of development of Tajikistan water-and-energy potential,” the Russian official said, adding that at present Tajikistan is using only 6.5 percent of its reserves of water and power resources.