Doc. 11062
4 October 2006

Environmental catastrophe as a result of the pollution of the Azerbaijani water sources with chemical and biological substances by Armenia

Written question No 505 to the Committee of Ministers
presented by Ms Pashayeva

The majority of the sweet water stock of Azerbaijan originates from the rivers, the current of most of which (69-72%) formed in the territory of Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Iran and the Russian Federation.

      Azerbaijan is behind the South Caucasus states and the Russian Federation as far as the water stock per capita and for each square kilometer concerned. 62 percent of the total water stock of South Caucasus (310 cube kilometres) goes to Georgia, 28 percent to Armenia and only 10 percent to Azerbaijan.

      Unlike the neighbouring states, the area of the Republic of Azerbaijan is among the regions with water shortages. Water from the Kura and Araz rivers and from their transborder parts constitutes 80 percent of the ground water stock of the country, while about 70 percent of the water’s general volume is formed abroad.

      The need for this water stock in the country and its protection from pollution is one of the main strategic security tasks. From this perspective, the water stock problems are an integral part of the problems of protecting the region’s environment.

      Three-quarters of the area of Azerbaijan is situated in the bottom relief of the Kura river pool, which is the largest water artery of the country. More than 350 million cubic metres of the chemically and biologically polluted water annually injects the Kura river pool (without neutralisation) from the territory of Armenia, and the heavy metals, phenols, oil products, radioactive and other harmful substances can be observed in the water samples. Pollution of the river from the territory of the neighbouring states creates an environmental tension.

      From this point of view, it is important to conduct, from the security of the population point of view, a general monitoring over the dangerous substances in the transborder rivers.

      According to the observations of the Ministry of the Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the majority of the transit currents are polluted by the ingredients, which can cause dangerous consequences.

      The water of the Araz river, which is exposed to pollution, negatively influences the quality and the mineralization of the Kura river water.

      Mineralisation of the water of the Kura river raises till 800-1200 mg in the connecting part of Araz and Kura rivers, which is twice as much compared to the upper current of the Kura and 35-50 per cent more compared to its medium current. Density of the polluting substances raises in the part of the river as follows: copper - 9 times of the sanitary norms, phenols – 6 times, and sulphates – 2-3 times.

      For a long time, the dirty waters from the mining, energetic, chemistry, machine construction industries and the communal-utility enterprises of Armenia are going to the Razdan, Agarak and Okhchuchay inflows of the Araz river, which is the main significant water supply after the Kura.

      In the mouth of Araz river, the density of the phenols is 13 times higher than the norm, copper – 9 times, sulphates – 6 times and mineralisation – 25-35 percent.

      Agstaphachay, which is the transborder inflow of the Kura river, is also exposed to the high pollution in the territory of Armenia. The observations show that the density of the phenols in this water is 7-18 times higher than the norm, copper - 6-9 times, oil products - 3 times and the sulphates – twice.

      Azerbaijan has ratified the Helsinki Convention on “Protection and application of the international lakes and water currents, passing the borders” in order to achieve the solution of the interboundary water pools problem on the regional level and within the international norms.

      However, Armenia’s rejection of this convention has complicated the solution of the problem. The annual increase in pollution by Armenia, exposing Azerbaijan’s drinking water stocks to the catastrophic pollution, creates serious concerns.

      Considering all of these, Ganira Pasayeva asks the Committee of Ministers:

      What concrete and resolute steps can the Committee of Ministers take within its competence in order to prevent Armenia’s polluting drinking water sources of Azerbaijan with chemical and biological substances?

      How can the Committee of Ministers influence Armenia in order to urge this country to ratify the “Convention on Protection and application of the international lakes and water currents, passing the borders”?

      Can the Committee of Ministers set up a monitoring group to deal with the investigation of this serious problem?

Signed ¹:

PASHAYEVA, Ganira, Azerbaijan, EDG

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
       EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group