Azerbaijan has been trying to draw attention of the international community to help stop water pollution in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, said in an interview with the EUobserver, an online newspaper based in Brussels, AzVision.az reports.
The minister said that today Azerbaijan is facing water shortages and water pollution, due to the fact that almost 70 percent of freshwater resources are formed outside the country.
“The Okhchu River is polluted with heavy metals and hazardous substances from copper and molybdenum mines in Armenia, operated by international companies. The Okhchu flows through liberated Zangilan into the second largest river in the South Caucasus, the Aras, and has a direct impact on its water quality. I've called on the international community to help stop this pollution, but with no result as of yet. When our displaced people finally return to their homes, it's crucial that they live in a safe environment,” Babayev said.
He also noted that Azerbaijan would like to create a regional early warning system to identify climate-related events and risks.
“A more effective exchange of information and coordinated actions with the neighbors would strengthen your resilience to some of the impacts of climate change. No country can cope with these challenges alone,” he added.
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