AZERI MINISTER SLAMS ARMENIA OVER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted on April 10 2006

Baku, April 7, AssA-Irada
The Azeri Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyn Baghirov
said on Friday that Armenia’s actions hurting the environment
in the occupied Azeri land once again prove the true gist of its
hostile policy against Azerbaijan. This includes felling of trees
and pollution of water basins in borderline areas and rivers going
through the occupied territories.

The ongoing preparation of documents in several languages concerning
the issue will be completed soon. The data will be made public both
in and outside the country, the minister told a news conference Friday.

The trees are felled in the preserve located in the Zangilan district
as well as in other Armenia-occupied territories, for their further
exports to Italy, France, Greece and Iran. The timber is used for
various purposes, including furniture production and shipbuilding.

A prompt response center is operating under the Azeri ecology ministry
to track down the dire impact on the environment and natural resources
in the occupied areas. It has prepared two reports and a plan of
action in this respect. The center has plenty of materials at its
disposal proving Armenia’s destructive influence on these territories.