In a rather long-winded speech, Yuri Luzhkov laid out these considerations and assumptions, and also touched on the economic side of the issue. He said he had just returned from Amman—and over there, a cubic meter of irrigation water costs $1.50. He mentioned this, the mayor of Moscow explained, because the river diversion project "will give us the opportunity to sell water as a commodity to the republics of Central Asia." /// Not a bad little bizness you could whip up there, huh. All that remains is to find out whether Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are ready to pay us a dollar and a half per cubic meter of irrigation water. The same article also quotes this gem. ***"It was a marvelous Sunday day. The bees, intoxicated by the scent of wild grasses, buzzed in a festive mood.". *** Yu. M. Luzhkov. On Love... Moscow, 2007.