Azerbaijan has launched an interstate arbitration process against Armenia

Baku/27.02.23/Turan: On February 27, Azerbaijan launched an interstate arbitration process against Armenia in accordance with the Energy Charter Agreement, the message of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Azerbaijan demanded financial compensation from Armenia for the violation of Azerbaijan's sovereign rights and 30 years of illegal occupation of its territories (1991-2020).

Thus, Armenia violated numerous provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty and fundamental principles of international law. The talk is about the illegal exploitation by Armenia of the rich hydropower resources of the Karabakh region.

The concentration of 25% of Azerbaijan's internal water resources in the Karabakh region makes it an optimal place for the production of hydroelectric power. The largest of the hydropower facilities illegally operated by Armenia is the Terter HPP, located in the Sarsang reservoir.

In 1994, Armenia seized the Sarsang reservoir and the Terter hydroelectric power station during military aggression. Armenia also built at least 37 small hydroelectric power plants on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan during the occupation.

Electricity from these stations was exported to Armenia. For this purpose, a unified energy system of Armenia with the occupied territories of Azerbaijan was created. In addition, during the occupation, Armenia illegally exploited the Chardagly coal mine in the Terter  region.

Armenia also disabled existing energy transit facilities, such as the gas pipeline connecting Yevlakh with Nakhchivan, which is why the gas supply to Nakhchivan was stopped.

"The purpose of this arbitration case is to ensure justice and compensation by Armenia for the illegal exploitation of energy resources on the internationally recognized, sovereign territory of Azerbaijan for almost 30 years," the  statement of the Foreign Ministry. ---16D---