"From now on, it is advisable to settle all issues related to consolidating the activities of the national energy systems based on international experience through bilateral and multilateral agreements among the Central Asian states," Rajabov said.

He went on to say that Central Asia’s existing unified energy system had been established to meet development plans of the USSR. "In other words, interests of former Soviet republics, which were considered as parts of the whole territory, were not taken into account during the establishment (of the energy system)," he said in this regard.

Thus, the author believes, the situation changed completely after the Soviet Union’s break-up, and its single energy system collapsed. "Central Asian states needed to solve their problems on their own," he added.

Having mentioned the recent emergency at Tajikistan’s Norak power plant that resulted in an electricity blackout in Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan, Rajabov said: "Violations in the energy system and cases of illegally taking electricity from the system pose a serious threat to the stable and reliable performance of the national energy systems."

"In these conditions, it is impossible to further sustain the activities of the Central Asian unified energy system and the Energiya (Energy) grid control and coordination centre without defining the necessary responsibilities and rights," he said in conclusion.