Aral Sea is a disaster: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the desiccating Aral Sea is one of the planet's most shocking disasters and is calling on Central Asian leaders to step up co-operation in solving the environmental problems. Yesterday, he toured the Aral Sea as part of a visit to the five countries of former Soviet Central Asia.

Once the world's fourth largest body of fresh water, the sea shrank by 90 per cent after Soviets boosted cotton production in the arid region.

After arriving from the helicopter tour to the western Uzbek city of Nukus, Ban pledged to urge all Central Asian leaders to "sit down together and try to find the solutions".

Ban was set to meet Uzbekistan's autocratic President Islam Karimov later yesterday, and rights issues are expected to top the agenda along with the Aral Sea. (AP)