Azerbaijan uses all means of hybrid warfare to cause damage to Armenian mining industry
YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/. Vardan Janyan, the chairman of the Union of Armenian Miners and Metallurgists and First Deputy CEO of Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, told a press conference on Monday that the main purpose of important changes taking place in Armenia's mining and metallurgical industry is to switch from production of metal concentrates to output of products of advanced processing.
According to him, the new owner of the Zangezur Combine (Russian GeoProMining group) in close partnership with the government, which owns a stake in the enterprise, is considering the possibility of building a large copper smelting complex.
He noted that Armenia also has intentions to build a gold refinery to switch from the production of doré alloy with 70% gold content to the production of pure gold in bars.
"In addition, two large metallurgical plants are already under construction in the country: one financed by US investors and the other by Tashir Group of Companies," Janyan said.
He added that against this background, the so-called Azerbaijani "environmentalists" under the guise of closing Artsakh's basic taxpayer - the Kashen copper mine - blocked the Lachin corridor, making it impossible to operate the mine in Tsaghkashen.
"The political background of the attacks of Azerbaijani "environmentalists" sponsored at the highest state level on the most important branch of Armenia's economy is exposed by the fact that, accusing the same Kashen mine of certain environmental violations, Baku hastened to grant a license for its operation to the Anglo-Asian Mining Company registered in Azerbaijan," Janyan said.
He said in retaliation the Tatoyan Foundation filed a class action suit against the Anglo-Asian Mining Company 's CEO Mohammad Reza Vaziri in the U.S. court.
Regarding the regular shelling of the steel plant being built in Yeraskh with U.S. investments Janyan recalled that its owners –U.S.-registered Virtual Funding and CSE Global Investments- warned Azerbaijan that they do not intend to abandon their plans, and in case the shelling continues, they will demand compensation for the investments made, losses incurred and benefits not received.
Janyan added that a plant similar to the one under construction in Yeraskh, called Baku Steel Company is now operating in the capital of Azerbaijan, which casts 4 times more metal per year than the Yeraskh plant located at a distance of 400 meters from residential houses will cast when commissioned.
According to him, it is no secret that Azerbaijan's true motivation is to damage an important branch of the Armenian industry. -0-
