ArmInfo
The Azerbaijani party's statements that Armenia pollutes the rivers Kur and Arax with phenols and copper compounds are false, the press-service of the Armenian ministry of nature protection told ArmInfo.
The source says that the analysis of water samples taken in the territory of Armenia in 2009-2010 from the river Arax shows that the concentration of copper compounds does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration. As regards the rivers Debed and Aghstev, the growth in the copper concentration is caused by geological and chemical peculiarities of the territory. Moreover, the concentration of copper in the rivers Arax, Debed and Aghstev in the borderline regions of Armenia is several times lower than the standards accepted in Europe. As for the phenols, their availability in the water is caused by chemical, oil processing activities, which, however, are lacking in the Armenian territory.
The source also points out that Azerbaijan raised the issue of the high content of phenols as early as Soviet times, as a result, in the 90s of XX century Armenia started monitoring the phenols. The 5-year monitoring showed that the content of phenols in Armenia's rivers is very low, so a decision was taken to suspend the monitoring. However, as the Azerbaijani party has fixed for itself senselessly low levels of maximum permissible concentration of phenols and copper, and consequently states about pollution of the rivers, the Armenian party decided to resume the monitoring of phenols. The first results of the monitoring will become known within the next few months. In addition, by Azerbaijan's proposal supported by Armenian and Georgian specialists, the phenol content of surface waters is being monitored under the EU TACIS program. Under the given program, some sections of the rivers Kur and Arax were researched in 2009, and the results will allow working out programs on control and improvement of the water quality. Being quite well aware of this, the Azerbaijani party continues making statements deprived of a scientific basis, apparently, for political reasons.
February 03, 2010