Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5
Trend:
Azerbaijan's ambassador to Iran Bunyad Huseynov met with Vice-President and Head of Department of Environment of Iran Isa Kalantari on March 5, the Azerbaijani embassy told Trend.
The sides discussed prospects for further expansion of cooperation between the two countries in environmental and ecological protection, protection of flora and fauna, as well as other prospects.
Huseynov voiced concern over the pollution of Araz transboundary river by industrial enterprises of Armenia, and noted the damage caused to the ecosystem of Iran and Azerbaijan.
Touching upon the agreement on construction and operation of the Ordubad and Marazad hydroelectric power plants between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of Iran, signed in April 2014, the ambassador stressed the existence of fruitful cooperation between the two countries on the use of the Araz River. The agreement was ratified by the parliaments of Iran and Azerbaijan in 2017.
At the meeting, the sides also discussed the protection of bioresources of the Caspian Sea and their joint use. They stressed the importance of keeping sea water clean.
Kalantari stressed the need to preserve and properly use the ecological environment of the Araz River and the Caspian Sea, which play an important role in the economies of both countries. He noted that the Iranian government pays special attention to protection of water basins.
The vice-president stressed the importance of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in environmental protection and restoration, and also spoke about the activities implemented in Iran in the field of ecology.