Foreign NGOs protesting Armenian plant construction in Arazdayan steadily growing

The number of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) opposing the construction of a mining enterprise in Armenia is steadily growing, Azernews reports.

NGOs note that the construction of this large-scale metallurgical plant is a violation of internationally accepted standards and principles, particularly those stated in the UN Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espo Convention).

The statement of civil society organizations from a number of countries in protest against the construction of a metallurgical plant in Arazdayan due to its negative impact on both people and the planet, as well as a possible environmental catastrophe, caused a great resonance.

Of late, more than 35 foreign NGOs joined the document.

To recall, Armenia has started illegally building a new metallurgical plant in Arazdayan territory, which borders Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan AR, with the help of foreign forces.

What is dangerous is that the plant is being built in an area close to the rivers flowing into the territories of neighboring states, and all the toxic waste from the plant is a real potential threat to the pollution of the rivers. Another dangerous point is that during the construction of the plant, Armenia directly decided to build the plant illegally without notifying the governments, and consulting with Azerbaijan and other countries in accordance with the United Nations' Espoo Convention. At present, the step taken by Armenia knowingly or unknowingly seriously damages the ecological structure of not only Azerbaijan, but also Iran, through whose territory the Aras river flows. The Azerbaijani side demands that Armenia construct the plant outside the Aras River far from the border, in the depth of country's territory.