ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS APPEAL TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO
EXPRESS THEIR POSITIONS ON OPERATION OF TEGHUT MINE

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Ecological Alliance of NGOs and a
number of other NGOs dealing with issues of environmental protection in
Armenia have sent a message to the candidates for the presidency of the
Republic of Armenia, expressing their concern at the current process of
using the country’s natural resources, in particular, the operation of
the Teghut mine. They have applealed to the presidential candidates to
express their positions on this issue in their pre-election programs.

According to the Alliance, the construction of the Teghut ore mining
and processing enterprise and the operation of the Teghut copper and
molybdenum mine are in violation of a number of Armenian laws. It is
also said that "according to the economic calculation made based on the
data of the assessment plan, there are riches of about 20 billion
dollars in Teghut, while the possible revenues of the Armenian state
budget over the whole period of operation (60 years) will make only
600-650 million dollars".

Ecologists say that in-depth, comprehensive and impartial expert
studies should be conducted for operation of the mine. In this
connection the Alliance proposes that the Armenian government should
reconsider the state policy on mining industry and immediately stop the
work already underway in the area of the Teghut copper and molybdenum
mine. "We are appealing not to repeat the fate of poorly developed,
mining and endangering their statehood countries and not to endanger
the future of our country," is said in the message.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress