details added, first published at 12:19
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 20. The Azerbaijani government has demanded that Armenia suspend the construction of a large metallurgical plant in Arazdeen, bordering the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev states in the letter addressed to the Minister of Environment of Armenia that in connection with the activities carried out near the village of Yeraskh (Arazdeen), located a few hundred meters from the conditional border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which may have a transboundary effect, a corresponding procedure has been initiated, as provided for by the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention).
It is particularly emphasized that, in accordance with Annex 1 to the Espoo Convention, metallurgical plants are openly recognized as activities that can have a significant negative transboundary impact.
In accordance with Article 3.1 of the Espoo Convention, Armenia is obliged to warn Azerbaijan about the impact of these activities on the environment. However, Azerbaijan, as an affected party, has not received any notifications from Armenia on this project.
Azerbaijan initially demands that Armenia exchange information to discuss the negative transboundary impact of the project in accordance with Article 3.7 of the Espoo Convention.
The Azerbaijani government has demanded the immediate termination of the construction of the plant by Armenia until full clarification and adequate consideration of issues related to the transboundary impact of the project are provided.
A relevant notification on this matter was also sent to the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe.
Azerbaijani environmentalists sent an open letter to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in which Armenian enterprises polluting the environment were listed. The letter notes that the destruction of the ecosystem as a result of ongoing mining operations poses a threat not only to the environment of Armenia but also to neighboring countries.
The construction of a new metallurgical plant in Arazdeen (Yeraskh), which is being built contrary to the requirements of environmental standards and international conventions, should be stopped. The potential impact of this metallurgical plant's toxic chemical waste on the local ecosystem could be enormous.
Dumping waste into the Araz River means a disaster for the living organisms in it and for large farms using water from this river for irrigation. Contamination of drinking water can also lead to the spread of infections in border areas. This will create a serious public health crisis for both Azerbaijan and Armenia.