Expert called on int'l organizations to stop brutality of Armenia
Rena Murshud
Read moreA community that historically had no connection with the Caucasus, but forcibly annexed the region, is called Armenia. The great trial of history has turned them into a source of danger for Azerbaijan. The concept of Armenian, which embodies the most cruel feelings such as hatred, aggression and enmity, is also a destructive entity for nature and the environment.
A few months ago, Armenia started building a large metallurgical plant in Arazdayan (a region bordering the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan). It is noted that the Armenian-American metallurgical plant built in Arazdayan with an investment of $70 million will produce 180,000 tons of products per year.
The Azerbaijani side categorically condemned this action and stressed that the toxic chemical waste from the metallurgical plant could cause a big blow to the region's ecosystem. It was noted that the risk of dumping waste from the plant into the Araz River was a wake-up call for both the living organisms in the river and for the large farms used for irrigation in the region.
However, the Armenian side categorically ignored the protest of Azerbaijan and even the international NGOs that joined this protest. On the contrary, in response to this, it stated that the plant was not built in violation of the law. They also accused Azerbaijan of demonstrating the illegal use of force against them and shooting in the direction of the construction.
In your opinion, what else could be expected from Armenia?
For this reason, Azerbaijan continued to globally raise this issue, turning to other NGOs and public associations.
Nidal Salim, director and founder of the Global Institute for Aquatic Ecology and Health, which supports Azerbaijan in this matter, said that looking at the flow rate of the Araz River in the region, it is possible to admit the risk of Armenia posing a threat here. In a comment for AZERNEWS he told that in the transboundary water resources any pollution which could cause harm for the country from upstream to downstream is not allowed.
"In the case of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Armenia is upstream and Azerbaijan is the opposite one.
According to the International Water Law water pollution has to be prevented or reduced, and this can be done in a cooperation program. What is the adequate way to do this, there is no single solution for these things, but normally, this kind of thing has to be done first in agreement, secondly, in cooperation and commitment between countries," the foreign expert said.
According to him, in the Armenian and Azerbaijani case, the situation is highly political and it is considered a sensitive area. However, as there are still some economic benefits for both states and the countries around, involvement of some intenrational community could be somewhat helpful for the solution of the problem.
"I think another solution for the problem is to invite the international community to the area to facilitate a discussion between the two parties," N.Salim added.
Also talking about the harm to the environment, the pundit expressed that any type of construction and anything that can harm the environment on both sides must be prevented. Even if they want to construct a petrol station, they still don’t have the right to do it by their own decision. This has to be decided by two sides, and it should be based on a certain study of the impact on the environment of the region. The expert added that this kind of procedure applies to the area near the border with another country.
As for the Western reaction, Nidal Salim said that everyone knows about the double standards in the Western policy, which is carried out in relation to countries that are not in its interests. And today such a policy is carried out in your area, in Garabagh, in the context of the ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"We clearly observe that when Armenia resorts to provocations, they ignore what they do, but in the case of Azerbaijan they immediately react to everything that is done by Azerbaijan in response to Armenia's provocations," the expert emphasised.
And in response to the question of why the world is not taking decisive action against Armenia. Nidal Salim answered that the UN is the only body to take a resolutive decision on the matter.
"The UN resolution has to be issued which shall be implemented accordingly by both sides. Besides, the United Nations does not have any certain mechanism for the issue yet. What the international community can do is highlight this problem globally, at the UN level. Most of the cases related to Armenia are eco-crime and eco-crisis which should be discussed at side-events of UN conferences where all international communities need to be invited in order to see realities and at least facilitate the process through negotiations," the expert underlined.
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Rena Murshud is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @RenaTagiyeva
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