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-What makes it necessary to declare 2010 a “Year of Environment”?

-Independence, stability and strengthening of state-building in Azerbaijan aroused other opportunities as well. National leader Heydar Aliyev issued an order on May 23, 2001 for dissolving of several former Soviet institutions and establishing the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources on their basis to pursue univocal environmental policy and to conduct relevant institutional changes for that. As a result of farsighted and resolute measures taken by the country’s leadership, Azerbaijan strengthened its independence and achieved high rate of economy. A very important work has been done for the protection of environment and useful exploration of natural resources. Earlier people used waters of Kur and Araz rivers, channels as a drinking water and the people complained about pollution of coastal area of the Caspian Sea, but now these problems were resolved. 86 km of coastal zone of the Caspian Sea is native now. We also solved the problem of “smoking” Balakhani dump at the expense of large investments. The President of the country declared 2010 a “Year of Environment”. It will intensify environmental issues. President Ilham Aliyev ordered to plant three million of trees in Absheron peninsula and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, local authorities, various ministries and enterprises joined this campaign. After the presidential order, more than 500 thousands of trees were planted in Absheron and more than two million throughout the country. 80 percent of trees were planted by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The presidential order will be fulfilled by the end of year.

-Several priority directions were chosen for improvement of environmental situation at the meeting near the President dedicated to the environmental problems. Can these spheres be considered as the main problems of Azerbaijan’s environment?

-Main priorities were mentioned at the meeting, except one – depletion biological diversification and erosions in the mountains and desertification in lowland regions. It caused by increase of cattle-breeding farms. Currently 20-24 cattle or sheep are pastured in one-hectare field, which makes it difficult to be restored. All problems except these two were addressed at the meeting.

-Does the ministry have a program for prevention of desertification?

-There is a state program for prevention of desertification and it is implemented now. The State Reserve Fund allocates pastures for the farms in the regions. Now we are investigating the norms of cattle-breeding in those areas. It is difficult to change a tradition formed throughout thousands years, but we believe that there will be changes in this field.

-What oil-polluted areas and lakes are expected to be cleaned in Azerbaijan this year?

-Oil-polluted territories are in the balance of Azerbaijan State Oil Company. I was informed that they are planning to make 400 ha lands healthy. We also prepared project for cleaning of 8-09 lakes. 4-5 of them will be cleaned and others will be drained because these are artificial lakes created by oil-field waters or sewage “lakes” created near the residential areas. The State Architecture Committee was urged to prepare the project of Boyukshor Lake. It is difficult to prevent ground waters flow and therefore it needs to renovate lakesides, to clean waters. But there are some lakes that should be drained.

-Will the process be ended this year?

-I don’t believe that it will be ended in a year. 1.5 million tons of oil was produced in Absheron peninsula during the Soviet time and 400-500 billion dollars were earned. USSR gave almost nothing from this money to Azerbaijan. In that time oil production was based on primitive technology. It demands large resources and time to clean those areas. Zigh lakeside was polluted with two million tons of oil product. There are some places polluted with acerbated and asphalted oil products. We need to clean areas around the highway to airport. If we don’t restore those areas, steam of heavy oil products will pollute atmosphere for long years.

-Tree planting campaign has widely spread within the framework of “Year of environment”. But still trees are cut. How many such facts has the ministry revealed?

-Approximately one million people live in the mountainous areas in Azerbaijan. Some of them use alternative fuel. Despite this, the people’s needs are not met fully and they traditionally go to forests. In a number of American websites the results of the analysis filmed from satellite are sent to the UN. According to these reports, forest cover has risen from 11.4 percent to 11.8 percent in Azerbaijan. This is 50,000 ha forest area. In the past 10 years 72,000 ha area was afforested in Azerbaijan. The deforestation is reducing year-after-year. Of course, there are problems in this field. We offer to sell other kinds of fuel. For example, stone coal, or stove fuel, because it is economic. But we do not deal with it.

-You offered to increase fines for cutting trees…

-Very strict fines are imposed now, but there are problems in their payment. Thousands of cases are being considered by courts. There are problems in the society itself. A citizen should also feel regret. Ecology is not the business of only ecologists. Why we must appeal to courts? Why fines are not paid?

-It was said at the meeting that 70 percent of the atmosphere air is polluted by vehicles. Can the number of the cars brought to the country be reduced in order to reduce the scale of the problem?

-The Cabinet of Ministers has passed a decision that bans bringing cars not meeting certain requirements from July 1. It is impossible to do it all of a sudden, because there are 800,000 cars and users of cars in Azerbaijan. The majority of them are old cars. But measures will be taken in this direction. I am sure that in four or five years we will be able to switch to euro 5 standard. After that the role of cars in the air pollution will reduce.

-When can polygons for waste management be established in the regions?

-This issue is on the agenda, it is being discussed. It is projected to build polygon in Shamakhy covering Shamakhy, Agsu, Gobustan, Ismayilli region, in Shirvan covering Salyan, Hajigabul, Kurdamir and other surrounding regions, in Ganja covering Ganja itself and surrounding regions. As a result of it, wastes will not be thrown everywhere, will be kept in a proper way, isolated from the environment.

-What is the level of the ecological situation of the Caspian?

-After the collapse of USSR, serious pressures on the Caspian have reduced. Azerbaijani state has always approached the oil production in the sea with modern methods. These influences have also reduced in the other states. Therefore, the Caspian is becoming healthier, except the bioresources. Measures also continue in this sphere. For example, we release 7-8 million of sturgeons from Khilli fish growing plant into the sea every year. Look how much is fished. Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Border Troops, Customs Committee, water police are fighting against it. Despite this, the fishes that we release into the sea are caught when they do not weigh even one kilogram. Why do you do it? Why do people buy them? Then they try to assure that the society wants regulation in this sphere and wants the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to do it. The society should not participate in such wrong action. A chicken is not sold and no one buys it saying it is sin. Why do they buy baby fish? We should strengthen struggle. But poachers’ technical opportunities do not allow our inspectors to reach them. There are inspectors who are not principled.

-Which state of the region is polluting the Caspian Sea at present?

-Russian scientists admit that 70-80 percent of the sea is polluted by the Volga. The rest 20 percent is polluted by Iran, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Turkmenistan pollutes the sea least of all, because its development on the shore of the Caspian Sea is little. Oil industry is improving on the shore in Kazakhstan, and there are a lot of unexploited wells there that have been filled with water, they also pollute the Caspian Sea. Two sources pollute the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. One of them is Absheron peninsula. Serious measures are being taken in connection with it. Oil industry is changed fundamentally, new devices are installed. The second source is the Kura river, only 15-20 percent of it is polluted by Azerbaijan, the rest by Georgia and Armenia. Even if there is subsidence in Varvara, Mingachevir lakes, polluted water flows into the Caspian Sea again.

-Can there be established any basins like Kura River and Caspian Sea?

- I think we must approach this issue carefully. Let each country protect its shore well, and then we will see.

-Residents in the region complain that after the opening of Gadabay gold-copper plant radiation and harmful waste to Zayam River has been increased…

- Investigation has been launched on the fact.

-Lately, scraping process of the buildings in the central parts of Baku is being carried out. How does it influence on the ecology of the capital? Don’t you object to it as a minister?

- Of course, this process influences on the capital’s ecology. It depends especially on the companies carrying out this work. Done works beautify the capital, but on the other hand, instead of the more expensive modern technologies, the companies use simple methods, they economize. I agree with you in this issue. They were fined many times. But our purpose wasn’t to stop the work. We understand that this is in favor of the country. I must note that this process- restoration of buildings is coming to an end. Soon there will begin the process of restoration of street stones. I agree that my words aren’t the way of solution, companies should approach this issue more purposefully from the ecological viewpoint.

-What did your visits to Antarctic and Andes give to Azerbaijan?

-Western University has born the charges of these visits. It is natural that university supports the scientific expedition. At the same time, it wants youth to be vigilant, as well as not to drop behind any nations. University leadership thinks so, and it doesn’t violate a law. If anyone asks about why the university spends money, then it is an indecency, isn’t it? It doesn’t take money from the State and Minister spends his holiday in a very extreme situation. There is a cemetery at the foot of the Andes Mountains. There is a grave of one Polish man. He died in 1940. At that time, Germany and Soviet Union has shared Poland between each other. And he was going to that mountain. Was he mad? Later on the compatriots of that Polish man wrote on his grave: “You sleep forever under the frozen flag of our homeland”. I joined those visits not as a minister. I did my work as an ordinary citizen with 30kg knapsack, special clothes, 4kg heavy boots. “2010-Year of ecology in Azerbaijan-for the sake of green world” transporant was opened in Aconcagua. With this we show that we help the entire world by planting one tree in Azerbaijan. Being a little country Azerbaijan has already decreased the number of carbon combination two times. It intends to decrease it more by planting 3 million trees. We want it to be heard in everywhere. Except Russian websites nobody evaluates it obliquely. English, Norway ambassadors or UN Resident Coordinator don’t ask “what do you do there?”. It is my life and I know myself what to devote it. Let the people evaluating this work uniquely play domino in boulevard.

-You noted that Air and Extreme Sports Federation will strengthen its activity. Which new projects will be carried out this year? Are there expected any new expeditions?

- Those who disdain Azerbaijan try to prevent the involving our youth in this work. But we strengthen this work - make clubs in the regions, give appropriate equipments to youth, hold trainings to make them more vigilant. Take into consideration that climbing is an Olympic sport. Why mustn’t we prepare for it beforehand? There are people who don’t want it. We want that our young from the outlying regions be vigilant, take part at the World Championships. We will try to hold international climbing festival in summer and invite young from 5-6 countries and try to prepare at least 50-100 young for these competitions.

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