Water Tales from the Former Soviet Union
Russia seems like an endless expanse, stretching from the Baltic to Alaska covering almost all of Northern Asia and Central Asia, and of course a major chunk of Europe. The landscape is dotted with thousands of lakes, rivers and smaller streams. At the first glance, it is a country with unmatched natural resources and relatively less affected by exploitation of natural resources. Sergei Balashov says that Russia never had to worry about the quantity but it always has had to worry about the quality.
Russia is a nation that has more water than almost all the world’s population can drink, though it may seem as an exaggeration. Lake Baikal is the world’s largest single source of fresh water. Russia has an enormous quantity of water resources and it would be rather ridiculous to talk about water shortage problems in a nation such as this. However, the shocking truth remains that Russian water resources are so depleted and in need of international attention that it would be almost a crime to say Russia is content with her water resources.
The reality strikes like a hammer on the head when one probes a little and learns about the much talked about and much written about Aral Sea, which strangely has been much forgotten too. The Aral Sea is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest water resource related losses and reveals what International borders and the lack of cohesion, coherence and communication across the borders can do. The issue with the Aral Sea has been the break up with the Soviet Union and the resulting politicization of the Aral Sea. The former Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and a few others have bickered and launched verbal attacks against each while the water vanished and the remaining liquid is enriched with radio active substances, heavy metal and other contaminants. Aral Sea virtually died.
That is not the end of the former Soviet Union’s water woes. Right in the heart of Russian diplomacy and military affairs, Ossetia and Georgia have been implicated in a bitter conflict related to water. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Georgians of turning the irrigation issue with South Ossetia in to an ugly scene where Russia has more to lose and less to gain. Georgia on the other hand risks consequences especially after the water pipeline that passes through its territory was damaged by residents, obviously in response to the Russian military actions. Breakaway South Ossetia could any day block water supplies to the Georgian people which are meant for irrigational purpose.
There is of course a lot of water in the region. The hammer strikes harder the second time when one realizes that water shortages could occur even when there really IS a lot of water. During conflicts, pipelines and dams could prove to be a greater threat than weapons of mass destruction or even crude oil. Wars have already been fought because of water and the future has a lot in store for us if water woes and conflicts are not recognized and handled. It would become the responsibility of international diplomacy to ensure water does not get pulled in to conflicts and that there is always a continuous supply of water even in the midst of bitter conflicts.
However, the situation could be described as being bleak, for water resources all across the world are depleting and especially so in the Middle East. The repercussions could be catastrophic. Perhaps Russia must concentrate more on ensuring water supply to Georgia and Georgia could in turn ensure that the pipelines in its territory are well protected. That could perhaps be the first step in resolving the bitter conflict between Russia and Georgia with South Ossetia being the centre of focus.
