«The illegal exploitation of natural resources in the territories of Azerbaijan should be stopped immediately. The illegal economic activity carried out by Armenia grossly violates the requirements of international conventions and creates legal responsibility for Armenia.»As a result of the discussions held with the command of the Azerbaijani and Russian peacekeeping contingents on December 3 and 7, 2022, a team of specialists was supposed to conduct preliminary monitoring of the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, ecological and other consequences in the territories of Azerbaijan where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily located. However, due to the inaction of the peacekeepers, the monitoring did not take place. For this reason, a protest action is being held by Azerbaijani activists and members of environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on a part of the road under the control of Russian peacekeepers in the Shusha area of the Lachin Corridor, demanding an end to environmental terrorism in the Karabakh economic region. It should be noted that the Lachin Corridor is a land corridor connecting Armenia with Karabakh and is in the territory of the sovereign state of Azerbaijan. Russian peacekeeping forces took up positions in the region after the end of the 44-day war in November 2020. It is reported that along with the goods intended for the Armenian population remaining in Karabakh, weapons and equipment for the illegal exploitation of mining resources by Armenians, as well as raw materials extracted from the gold mine and copper molybdenum mine, are transported through this corridor. The participants of the action are chanting slogans about stopping the illegal exploitation of mines, environmental terrorism, subversive and looting activities by the Armenian side. They also facilitate the passage of civilian vehicles and emergency vehicles belonging to the peaceful Armenian population through the Lachin road.We would like to remind you that in March 1992, Azerbaijan signed «Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes» of the UN, however, the fact that Armenia has not yet signed the convention led to the adoption of Resolution No. 2085 dated January 26, 2016 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. That resolution states:»The Assembly considers that the deliberate creation of an artificial ecological crisis should be regarded as ‘ecological aggression’ and this situation should be considered as «environmental aggression» aimed at creating ecological disaster zones against another state and making the normal life of the population living there impossible»;As an international committee, we support the establishment of peace in the region.
