As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov mentioned in his Address to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan pays particular attention to the SDA-2030 goal of ensuring the provision and sensible use of water resources and also sanitation for all. Our country is firmly committed to the principle that water is the common heritage of all nations of the planet, and that equal and equitable access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human right. The development of states, their economy and their social sectors, as well as the degree of people’s well-being and quality of life directly depend on access to water resources and their effective use. Therefore, equal rights, respect and responsibility must become the main criteria determining relations between Central Asian states. The head of state said that the existing water and energy issues in the region should be resolved: firstly, on the basis of generally accepted rules of international law, secondly, taking into consideration the interests of each country, thirdly, with the active participation of international organizations, primarily the United Nations. This is our principal position, and based on it, we shall continue to build effective negotiating mechanisms between states and with international bodies to develop coordinated approaches. I am convinced that only by doing so can we achieve positive results and ensure a lasting and sustainable balance of interests. The issue of saving the Aral Sea stands prominently among the major topics of cooperation between the countries of the region and the international community. Dealing with it successfully requires assistance from the international community, as well as an innovative, goal-oriented and comprehensive international approach. There is also a need for a systematic participation in this work of the United Nations. In this regard, we have embarked on implementing Turkmenistan’s initiative to draw up a special United Nations Program for the Aral Sea Basin and to establish the Aral Sea issues as a separate sector of the organization’s work. In this regard, the President of Turkmenistan urged the United Nations member states to support this initiative. The United Nations Resolution on Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea adopted on 18 April this year could serve as a good basis for this. Another major issue according to the Turkmen leader is the Caspian Sea. The signing on 12 August this year of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea by heads of Caspian Sea states paves a way for transforming the Caspian Sea region into a strategic transport, transit and energy hub of international importance, as well as an area for broad investment, trade, and economic activity and cooperation. Turkmenistan is ready to discuss meaningfully with all interested parties the implementation of projects in these areas, the projects that are fully economically and commercially feasible and that would have benefits for all potential participants, projects that can significantly influence the strengthening of continental security and are long-term in nature, the President said.