BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21
Trend:
Zangilan district, which is part of the Kalbajar-Lachin economic region, has enormous potential from an economic and geographical point of view, Head of the Department of the Azerbaijani Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication Nijat Hajizade said, Trend reports on Oct. 21.
“Bordering various countries on both sides, the district is covered by mountains in the west and plains in the east,” Hajizade said. “These features show that Zangilan district has various resources. The Kalbajar-Lachin economic region is geographically diverse in terms of the volume of mineral deposits.”
“In accordance with the official estimates, there are 155 deposits of various types of minerals, including gold-bearing, silver, copper, iron, zinc, granite ores, deposits of precious stones, refractory clay and other minerals in the territories previously controlled by Armenia within its occupation policy and which were liberated,” head of the department added.
“Zangilan district, having adjacent corridors with the two countries, has unique opportunities for foreign trade,” head of the department said.
“Moreover, there is important Vejnali deposit which is the second biggest deposit in Kalbajar-Lachin economic region after Kalbajar. Its gold reserves are estimated at 6.5 tons, copper reserves - 3,000 tons,” Hajizade said.
“There are also Okhchuchai marble limestone deposit with reserves of 6,618 cubic meters suitable for the production of facing stone, the Zangilan limestone deposit (Dashbashi-Asgurum) with proven reserves of 129 million tons, the Zangilan limestone deposit suitable for the production of crushed stone and limestone, with reserves of 6,024 tons, Bartaz-I and Bartaz-II porphyry deposits with total reserves of 28,943 cubic meters, Zangilan clay deposit, suitable for the production of bricks and tiles with reserves of 1,102 cubic meters, mixed sand and gravel deposits with reserves of 17,367 cubic meters in Zangilan district,” head of the department said.
“These deposits, which are illegally used by the Armenian invaders, have turned the country into an "exporter" of quality mineral resources,” Hajizade said. “When studying Armenia's foreign trade, it becomes clear that the dominant place in export belongs to the mineral resources.”
“This country, having misappropriated mineral resources located in Kalbajar and Zangilan districts, extracts and exports them to the European countries and Russia as those of Armenian origin,” head of department said. “Of course, Armenia was involved in economic crimes, falsifying the origin of the extracted mineral resources and selling them to the European countries because in the EU legislation, the deliberately false indication of the country of origin is considered as an economic crime, and if these cases are found, trade sanctions are imposed.”
“Knowing all this, Armenia falsified the origin of the goods and presented these territories as those belonging to Armenia,” Hajizade said. “Most of the dozens of companies involved in the development of these deposits are run by the Armenian diaspora from abroad.”
“A clear example of the great tourism potential of Zangilan district is its geographical diversity,” head of department said. “Oriental plane trees, walnuts and other valuable trees that have no analogues in Europe are growing in this district. The plane tree forest, which is 500 years old and 12 kilometers long, is included in the Basitchay Reserve.”
“This reserve was created in the Azerbaijani south-western area in the occupied Zangilan district in the Basitchay gorge in 1974,” Hajizade said. “The area of the reserve is 107 hectares. The oriental plane tree growing in the reserve has been included in the IUCN Red List.”
“Unfortunately, the trees cut down by the Armenian occupiers and which are used in light industry and other commercial purposes are also victims of economic crime," Hajizade stressed.
The expert added that as a result, the natural resources which are used in the Zangilan district, having favorable economic conditions for mining, construction and tourism, are an example of a fascist policy towards Azerbaijan’s natural resources.
"Over the past 27 years, natural resources that could not be used as a result of Armenia’s occupation policy were exported to other countries,” Hajizade said. “The Armenian public should be aware that the income from using of resources in the occupied territories did not reach the mono-ethnic population of Armenia.”
“The illegal sale of the resources of other country and thus the accumulation of wealth by certain people who serve only their own interests, is a criminal offense by law,” head of department said.
“Given the role of the construction sector as a driving force of the economy, the natural resources of the Zangilan district will play an important role in meeting the domestic demand,” Hajizade said.
“Moreover, the export of mineral resources has recently taken a leading position in the non-oil sector,” head of department said. “Thus, the average monthly export by the state-owned gold exporting company ranges between $10-18 million.”
“Azerbaijan will continue to increase the export of mineral resources due to the development of the Vejnali field, the reserves of which are 6.5 tons of industrial gold and 3,000 tons of copper in the Zangilan district," Hajizade said.