Azernews.Az

Sabina Mammadli

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For 40 days back-to-back the Azerbaijani eco-activists and representatives of NGOs have been picketing the Lachin-Khankandi road against the illicit exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources, Azernews reports.

Despite the cold weather, the protesters are continuing their peaceful protest.

The road continues to stay open, allowing free passage of vehicles, despite the claims of "blockage" and "humanitarian crisis". This way, ten vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), twenty supply vehicles, and five passenger cars of the Russian peacekeepers passed through Khankandi in the Lachin direction.

Following discussions with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent on December 3 and 7, 2022, Azerbaijani specialists from the Ministries of Economy, Ecology, and Natural Resources, the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold Company were to conduct primary monitoring on illegal exploitation of mineral deposits on Azerbaijani territory. However, the monitoring failed due to the provocation of ethnic Armenians.

After the Russian peacekeepers' failure to provide the necessary conditions for the Azerbaijani agency representatives to carry out their duties in the area, a group of eco-activists, NGOs, and public representatives have taken to the street in protest at the peacekeepers' repugnance to live up to their obligations in line with the November 10, 2020, peace deal to maintain peace and order in the region, and oust the Armenian troops from the region and prevent illegalities. However, time proved that the Russian peacekeepers are driven by the interests of Russia rather than the idea coming from the essence of the notion of peacekeeping as universally understood.

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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl

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