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Каспинфо июнь 2002 |
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Название: Сообщения НПО региона на англ. языке Главные Пункты: * НПО Азербайджана и Грузии предлагали проложить трубопровод Баку-Джейхан в обход заповедников и памятников природы. Однако компания BP приняла решение прокладывать нефтепровод по территории Гобустанского Государственного Заповедника и других, что объясняется дешевизной данного решения. BP не намеревается выплачивать компенсации за причиненный ущерб флоре и фауне Азербайджана во время строительства и эксплуатации нефтепровода. (06.06.2002) Полный Текст Сообщения НПО региона на англ. языке Сообщения НПО региона на англ. языке *** ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL MONUMENTS OF AZERBAIJAN UNDER THREAT OF DESTRUCTION construction of Baku - Cheyhan pipeline will destroy them When well-known British company the British Petroleum started its activity on construction of Baku-Cheyhan pipeline the hopes were arisen in the public community and non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan. Hopes that BP will use the new, ecologically right approach to issues of protection of the ecological and cultural-historical values of Azerbaijan and Georgia during designing and construction of a new Baku-Cheyhan oil pipeline. But it looks like our hopes do not come true. BP spends the huge financial resources allocated as a loan by both International Finance Organizations and Banks, and by companies - participants of the pipeline project for destruction of large quantity of the ecological and cultural monuments, as well as destruction of the environment of Azerbaijan. We repeatedly addressed to the BP president Mister Dejvid Vutvort and we feel, that it is time to sound the alarm. Last few years during the discussion of designing and construction of the Cheyhan oil pipeline the public community and non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan and Georgia many times raised a question to avoiding laying the pipeline around the all ecological and historical-architectural reserves and nature sanctuaries, which represent the special value, both from the environmental safety point of view, and from the cultural point of view for people of Azerbaijan and Georgia. But now we see, that BP has made the decision to build the Baku-Cheyhan oil pipeline through the Gobustan State Reserve territory. Gobustan Reserve is one of the most well-known and ancient historical and archeological monuments not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the world. BP ignores both the legislation of Azerbaijan, and the international norms adopted by the world community, which prohibit of conducting of any activity within the boundaries of State Reserves. And BP manager Mister Fil Midolten explains the decision of building of the oil pipeline through the Gobustan reserve of the economical cheapness of the given decision. This cheapness can result in destruction of valuable Gobustan archeological monuments, destruction of historical and a cultural heritage of Azerbaijan. How can we evaluate such an explanation given by mister Midolten for his decision. Why laws of Azerbaijan on protection of State Reserves can be broken by BP and by mister Midolten. Why BP is not able to spend a little bit more money to build the pipeline by avoiding the Historical Reserve. You see the pipeline will serve for Azerbaijan only for 30-40 years, when the historical monuments are our values forever. Besides the chosen pipeline route passes in immediate proximity of plenty of other historical and cultural monuments (ancient settlements and cemeteries). Why BP can not find roundabout variants in order not to destroy graves of our ancestry? It is a moral question and BP's reaction to this question will show the moral shape of this well-known petroleum company. BP should carry out the detailed archeological surveys before making any decision on a route of the pipeline as the territory of Azerbaijan is known as a world museum with its plenty of valuable archeological and cultural monuments. About the same state of things we can observe on BP ecological decisions for the Baku - Cheyhan pipeline project. Ecological surveys and researches either were not conducted at all, or were carried out by foreign experts who did not know about specificity of ecology, flora and fauna of Azerbaijan. You can see a plenty of wolves, foxes, jackals, cane cats and other mammals on a route of the pipeline. There is a bird habitat for valuable birds near to Korchay reserve. And again the decision was taken to put a pipeline through these extremely vulnerable territory with its flora and fauna. The route was again chosen through a number of State Natural Reserves. BP does not intend to pay any compensation for the caused damage to flora and fauna of Azerbaijan during the construction and operation of the oil pipeline. What kind of experts took part in research of flora and fauna along the pipeline route, how many and who from local scientists participated there. Perhaps decisions were ! taken based on the research done by foreign scientists as the Azerbaijan scientists who perfectly know vulnerable features of flora and fauna of Azerbaijan never would agree with the chosen line of the pipeline. According to the data published by the institute of Zoology of Azerbaijan, the huge quantity of valuable reptiles will be destroyed during the construction of the given pipeline. Besides the line of the pipeline passes through huge set of close located mud volcanos and the region with the high seismicity. None of Azerbaijan experts - seismologists were involved in assessment of ecological safety of the pipeline. You see in case of damage of the pipeline as a result of the seismic phenomena there can be a huge damage. BP intentionally is not going to prepare plans on rescue of animals in case of oil spills despite of numerous attempts of the non-governmental organizations to draw attention of BP officials to this extremely important question. The Azerbaijan ecological non-governmental organizations till now were not involved in the process of environmental assessment (EIA) of an oil pipeline, except for last trip-show organized by BP for a small group of NGOs with the purpose of hiding the real state of things. BP is not conducting of any social or ecological compensation program within the framework of the oil pipeline project. BP does not allow to independent scientific or non-governmental organizations to conduct an independent monitoring of its facilities with the purpose of revealing true impacts of BP activity on a nature of Azerbaijan. BP and mister Vutvort ignores opinions of non-governmental organizations and do not allow us to access to their facilities. We call for all relevant international organizations to pay attention to the issue of laying the Baku - Cheyhan oil pipeline through the territory of Gobustan historical and Archeological Reserve and through territories of other Natural Reserves of Azerbaijan. BP spends the huge financial resources allocated as a loan by both International Finance Organizations and Banks, and by companies - participants of the pipeline project for destruction of large quantity of the ecological and cultural monuments, as well as destruction of the environment of Azerbaijan. Group of Azerbaijan Ecological NGOs |