Statement of the delegation of Armenia during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment

04 March, 2021

March 3, 2021

HRC 46^thSession: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment

Delivered by Arsen Kotanjyan, Second Secretary

President,

Armenia shares the view that water pollution, water scarcity and water-related disasters have major impacts on a wide range of human rights. In this regard it is worth to mention that recently Armenia enriched its national legislation aimed at securing ecological sustainability of the environment, thus assuring effective management of useable water resources and meeting the socio-economic needs of its population. Armenia is committed to the implementation of SDG 6 “Secure access to water and sanitation for all” and will further improve its water management record and make steps towards the prevention of water-related disasters.

During the recent war in Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan used incendiary weapons containing white phosphorus against the forcefully displaced population that found refuge in forests causing irreplaceable damage both to the people and the environment. The aggression resulted in humanitarian and environmental disaster as thousands of people faced direst conditions, coping with scarcity of food, water, and medical aid. There have been numerous reports that large-scale direct and intended damage to the forests and environment in the occupied territories of Nagorno Karabakh was committed by Azerbaijan and the foreign terrorist fighters it recruited and brought to shore-up and sustain the military operations.

I thank you.

Right of Reply

President,

For years Azerbaijan has been making brazen allegations about the safety and security of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, while the NPP has always had an excellent record of safety under close supervision of the IAEA. Azerbaijan has complemented its allegations with a threat to strike the NPP. Later, it came to explain at this Council that it was an emotional outburst of a high-level military officer. That was quite a peculiar way of demonstrating a commitment to environmental safety and security.

When it comes to the water pollution, the joint exercise that included Armenia, Azerbaijan, OSCE, NATO, ENVSEC concluded that the water flows coming down from the Armenian mountains to Azerbaijan are not polluted. In response Azerbaijan simply stopped any kind of cooperation in this field.

There was a similar development in the case of Sarsang Reservoir. Nagorno-Karabakh expressed its readiness to jointly use with Azerbaijan the waters of the reservoir to enable all inhabitants of the region with an access to the water resources. This was encouraged by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Azerbaijan refused it proving that its intention was to merely make a hollow propaganda even at the expense of its own population living in trans-boundary zone.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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