| ECONOMIC DAMAGE TO AZERBAIJAN INFLICTED BY THE AGGRESSION OF ARMENIA
As the result of aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, during the 1988-1994 period, serious material damage has been caused to Azerbaijan.
Overall area of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan includes;
- the territory of the Mountainous Karabakh Region;
- the Territories of 7 regions bordering with Mountainous Karabakh (Aghdam, Fizuli, Djabrayil, Zangelan, Kubatly, Lachin and Kelbajar);
- the territories of 4 regions bordering with Armenia (Gazakh, Agstafa, Tovuz and Gedabey);
- the territories of 4 regions bordering with the Line of Contact (Ter-Ter, Goranboy,Agdjabedi and Beylagan);
- and the territories of the administrative regions of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. This area constitutes 17,000 square miles.
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Occupied regions of Azerbaijan have been almost totally destroyed and looted. Great economic damage has been inflicted also to 4 regions of Azerbaijan bordering with Armenia, 4 regions bordering with the line of contact, and the territories of the administrative regions of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.
From the beginning of the aggression against Azerbaijan, more than 877 settlements have been burned and destroyed.
The Armenian aggressors have pursued the policy of «burned-land and ethnic cleansing» on all captured territories. As a result of such actions, more than 150 thousand houses and apartments (9.1 million square miles) have been destroyed and robbed and 1 million people were forced to leave their homes and became refugees.
In the occupied zones, about 6.000 manufacturing, agricultural and other kinds of factories and plants were fully plundered and exterminated. More than 1 million hectares of agricultural sowing lands, including 127,700 hectares of irrigated lands and 34,600 hectares of vineyards and orchards have been damaged. A 1,200 km2 irrigation system has been totally destroyed. This irrigation system has been partly removed to Armenia.
The damage only to Azerbaijani agricultural lands inflicted by the Armenian aggression is $472 million .
Some 244 thousand flocks and herds and 69,000 cattle were driven from the occupied territories out of Azerbaijan. Some 70% of summer pastures of Azerbaijan remain in the occupied zone.
Some 4,366 social and medical establishments, including 690 secondary schools, 855 kindergardens, 4 sanatorium complexes, 490 hospitals and other structures of public health have been crippled and fallen into decay.
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A number of historical and cultural monuments of the Azerbaijani cultural legacy have been eliminated wild great cynicism by the Armenian aggressors. In all, 22 museums, 4 picture galleries and 9 historical palaces have been burned and devastated by the Armenian barbarians. Some 40 thousand museum pieces and exhibits, which represent great historical meaning, gold and silver, very rare and precious jewelry stones, carpets and other handmade and applied goods, have been robbed. About 44 temples and 9 mosques were desecrated. Some 4.6 mill ion books and inestimable manuscripts have been burned and 927 libraries looted.
A number of cultural and art establishments including 6 state theatres and concert organizations, 386 clubs and 85 musical schools have been destroyed.
The infrastructure of all the 7 occupied regions has been destroyed. Telephone exchanges for 35 thousand subscribers, 2,500 transformer stations and 14,500 km of electric lines have been looted and stolen. More than 160 bridges (3,834 m), 800 km of roads, and 2,300 km of water pipelines, 2 thousand gas pipelines and 35 gas distribution stations have also been destroyed.
The combat activities and following occupation caused a serious environmental damage. As a result, 280 thousand hectares of forest (or 25% of Azerbaijan's forests ), 6 major national parks, as well as more than 200 paleontology and geological sites remain under occupation. In 1993 alone 206,6 thousand m 3 of valuable types of timber were taken to Armenia.
Biological diversity of the region occupied by the Armenian aggressors is under threat, because its unique ecosystem is being uncontrollably exterminated. By exploiting mineral resources of the occupied regions, including 2 gold, 4 mercury, 2 chromium, 1 zinc, 1 copper and oilier deposits, Armenia has cynically claimed to be one the world's leading exporters of rare, precious and non-ferrous metals. The conclusion of an agreement between Armenia and a Canadian company «First Dynasty Mines» on a joint development and exploitation of the Soyudly (Zod) gold deposit, located in the occupied Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan, is an outrageous violation of all international norms.
Uncontrolled mass looting and removal of valuable construction materials to Armenia is shamelessly used in Armenia's construction industry and has become a significant export item for Armenia.
Annually, vast amounts of natural mineral water from Isti-Su mineral spring and other mineral water springs are being transported from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and form a significant share of currency earnings for Armenia.
Overall, damage inflicted as a result of aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to preliminary data, exceeds more than $22 billion .
Источник: сайт Карабах со ссылкой на «Karabakh» [info book] XXI YNE Baku 1999 (in English) pp. 116-117 |
