A New Approach in Utilizing Transboundary Rivers

From the past to the present, use of common water resources has caused conflicts between states, therefore international law has tried to prevent such conflicts. However, with scarcity of available water resources, international water conflicts have increased in recent decades; this can be considered as proof of inability of approaches adopted by states, which are based on quantitative division of water, in facing and solving such conflicts. The current research, using a descriptive-analytical method, indicates that transition from focusing on volumetric allocation of water between states sharing river to establishment of cooperation arrangements between them in order to use river in the most optimal way available and the fair sharing of benefits from this cooperation can be considered a more favourable option for using these valuable water resources. In fact, application of benefit sharing arrangements in the use of transboundary rivers, which is also supported by the fundamental principles of international water law, through transformation of win-loss result due to water sharing into a win-win result due to cooperation in the optimal use of common water resources, increases interests of states and not only prevents water conflicts, but is able to develop and strengthen international cooperation.