Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry: "Armenians are cutting forests at occupied territories"

As APA reports, forests in Jidir plain in Shusha, in the area from the "Aghzi yasti" cave to the forest reserve of Topkhana forest have been ruined and construction works are being held there. The Ministry has got the video films of this fact, which is contrary to the international legal norms on specially protected natural areas. Armenians are cutting the natural Eastern plane forest in Zangilan region, which comes second in the world and first in Europe.

According to the information given by a source in Sav village of Armenia, Armenians are cutting plane, oak, nut trees in the Basitchay State forest reserve in Razadara village and engaged in woodworking there. They put an explosive on the root of the cut tree and plough the place in order to cover the sign.

Armenians also set fire to the Arazboyu protected forests bordering on the Islamic Republic of Iran. A specialist of the Environmental Protection Office of Tabriz while in Baku in November 2001 said the Arazboyu forest reserve were on fire for about two months and all flora was ruined there.

Zangilan forestry office reports quoting on various sources that Topmesha forests of Zangilan foresting have been cut.

"Azikh and Taghlar caves are in the UNESCO's list of ancient monuments of the world history. The material exhibits found in Azikh cave dating to the Paleolithic period were exhibited at the international exhibition-“First inhabitants of Europe” in the French capital Paris on December 8, 1981. Regrettably, Azikh, Taghlar, Garakopaktapa, Meynatapa and other historical monuments have been subject to Armenian vandalism. The world famous red oak trees cover more than 4000 hectares of area in Pichanis and Hajishamli forests in Lachin region. Armenians are cutting the oak trees and selling to France for making brandy tuns. A lot of nut trees are being cut and sold to Iran for making furniture.

A worker of the Lachin forestry office Mashallah Bandaliyev, who was held as hostage by Armenians for five months, said that Armenians made them cut forests in Aghdere. They sold the some materials to Iran and used the wood themselves."

Resident of Chakirli village of Jabrayil region while looking at our occupied territories from Iran in 1998 witnessed destroyed stations and houses, rare trees cut in yards and roadsides in Maralyan, Marjanli, Chakirli, Mahmoudlu villages. In the talk with Iranians, it turned out that Armenians burn the trees on the bank of the Araz River every year in order to observe the area well.

An Armenian, who escaped to Tataristan Republic in the Russian Federation getting fed up with hard way of life in 1998, said he had been to Gubadli and Lachin regions for several times after the invasion. He carried goods in trucks. He said the houses were burnt; forests were cut and used as woods and building materials. Armenians sold houses, woods and other natural resources to Iranians in two big markets of building materials in Gubadli.