Azerbaijan, Baku, June 12 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /
Azerbaijan has unveiled a multi-pronged strategy aimed at saving its citizens in the event of the catastrophic failure or sabatoge of the dilapidated Sarsang Reservoir, which lies in Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a statement posted at PRNewswire agency's website said.
At the same time Azerbaijani government officials will be stepping up efforts to highlight the problem within the international community.
The reservoir - a 12 kilometre long lake held back by a 125 metre high dam - is reportedly in desperate need of remedial engineering, the statement said.
But Azerbaijan says the lack of attention by Armenia means there is now a very real risk of failure due to collapse or sabatoge and the lives of 400,000 of its citizens who live in six regions downstream are now in imminent danger.
As a result Baku has announced a strategy, called "Prevention of Sarsang Humanitarian Danger", based on learning more about the state of the dam while raising awareness, the statement said.
Highlighting the problem within the United Nations, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers and the OSCE - bodies that have all passed resolutions against Armenia's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Calling for the implementation of constant monitoring of the dam's technical condition.
Preparing a civil emergency plan to evacuate the 400,000 endangered citizens in the event of flooding caused by the dam's failure.
"This is a broad, multi-pronged response to a fast evolving crisis," the article said.
Azerbaijan says it will invite key international figures to events in Baku and Brussels to ensure the world is kept informed of this fast-evolving threat, the statement said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the occupied territories.