SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, January 3. The peaceful rally of Azerbaijan’s non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Karabakh close to the Russian peacekeepers temporarily deployed area near Shusha has been going on for the twenty-third day, Trend reports from the scene.
One car and four supply vehicles belonging to the Russian peacekeeping contingent once again have just passed unhindered Khankendi-Lachin road.
Previously, the Armenian media spread the news that the Azerbaijanis [holding a peaceful protest rally near Shusha, close to the peacekeepers’ post] allegedly blocked the Lachin road and didn’t let the supply vehicles through.
The representatives of Azerbaijani non-governmental organizations have been protesting against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation of deposits in the area of stationing the peacekeepers.
Previously, following the talks with the Russian peacekeepers' command on December 3 and 7, 2022, a group of experts from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold CJSC were going to begin preliminary monitoring of the illicit mineral resource exploitation, as well as emerging environmental implications on Azerbaijani lands, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, on December 10, 2022.
The expert team was expected to inspect the environmental condition at the 'Gizilbulagh' gold deposit and the 'Damirli' copper-molybdenum deposit, monitor various areas, organize cadastral property records, assess potential risks and threats to the environment, as well as to underground and surface water sources.
However, when arriving in the monitoring area, the expert group, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, faced provocations. The planned initial inspection and monitoring did not take place due to the fact that the Russian peacekeepers not only did not create necessary conditions but also prevented for the entire process to carry on.
