ARMENIAN ‘GREEN’ TERROR

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
Aug. 24, 2006

At the expense of our forests, in 12 years the occupants extracted
720,000 cubic meter wood
At the expense of occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia re-sells
70 cubic meter wood and 1500 dimension abroad per annum. According to
accounts, for last 12 years Armenians extracted 720,000 cubic meter
wood from the occupied territories. In connection with that our State
sustained the damage amounting to 11,000,086 manats. Rovshan Jalilov,
director of Forest Development Department at the Ministry of Ecology
and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan informed that fires which recently
took place in the occupied territories, caused damage 1,500 ha that
makes up approximately 409,702 AzN: "Annually, fires destroy 15-16
million ha forests worldwide. In Azerbaijan, in 2002 the fires covered
77 ha, in 2003 – 9 ha, and in 2005 – 21 ha."

Under accounts, in 2000 dimension amounting to US$ 20 million was
delivered to Azerbaijan from abroad, then in 2005 this figure
reached US $ 67.7 million. It demonstrates that lately at the
expense of import dimension, the number of facts of deforestation
cut substantially. According to R. Jalilov, 90% forests of Azerbaijan
falls on mountain areas, but 989,000 ha of our country are particularly
forests: "The decree of the Cabinet of Ministers from 1998 resulted
in reduction of deforestation significantly. Under statistics, the
number of illegal deforests is reduced per annum.

Thus, if in 2003 illegal deforestation of 60,000 cubic meters was
observed, already in 2004 this figure reached 49,000 cubic meters,
and in 2005 – 38,000 cubic meters."

To date over 400 furniture shops operate in Baku. The examination
conducted by the Ministry of Ecology & Natural Resources together
with Environment Guard Department, revealed dimension in 19 out of
them. R. Jalilov informed that this July the appropriate examinations
in Yevlakh, Shamakhi, Dashkesen, Yardimli, Gazakh and Balaken were
held. According to him, such arrangements resulted in dismissal of some
members of forest departments, and foresters of a number of districts:
"Under Department’s accounts, in 2003 the cases of the violation of law
were revealed in the territory of forests extending 38,493 cubic meters
and entailed damage in the amount of 303,610 manats. The offenders
were found out and compensated 41 per cent damages. In 2005 the same
cases were observed in the territory of forest of 19.87 cubic meters,
and damage amounted to 127,254 manats.

In 2006 because of the violation of the law 11 men were detained,
and few people were brought to suit. To date 4 forest departments
are examined. The case was transferred to the Republican Prosecutor."

It is appropriate mention that there are about 4 billion forest
lands in the world. To maintain ecology balance each country should
be extended with at 25-30% forests. For instance, in Panama it makes
95%, in Japan – 70%, in Turkey – 27%, in Azerbaijan – 11.4%. 0.62%
ha forest falls on a man worldwide. In connection with percentages,
it can make 0.45 ha. In Azerbaijan it makes nearly 0.14%.

–Boundary_(ID_k8KvcLhOWiDYMttgOBVktg)–