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  • Azeri experts warn of ecological disaster after Russian oil spill in

    Azeri experts warn of ecological disaster after Russian oil spill in Caspian

    BBC Monitoring Caucasus
    3 June 2005

    Source: ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri 1600 gmt 2 Jun 05
    Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 2 June

    By Ceyhun Asgarov, Emil Babaxanov, ANS.

    [Presenter] The Caspian Sea is polluted as there is an oil slick in
    the sea. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has
    sent an inquiry to the relevant ministry in Russia about the incident.

    [Correspondent, over video of beach scenes, map of oil-polluted
    sections of the Caspian] A warning to those who are going to the Nabran
    resort area [northern Azerbaijan]: do not go into the sea more than
    25 metres away from the coast unless you want to have an oil bath
    in the Caspian. A total of 300 tonnes of oil have spilt into the sea
    from Russia's River Terek [in Dagestan] since early May. The oil slick
    entered the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian several days ago and has
    accumulated predominantly in the Yalama-Nabran area. The slick begins
    75 metres off the Nabran coast and stretches 7,820 metres into the sea.
    But this is not the end of the story.

    The chief of the Caspian comprehensive ecological monitoring department
    of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Latifa Huseynova,
    who returned from the polluted area today, believes that the pollution
    may grow into an ecological disaster and cover new areas.

    [Huseynova] Of course, it may not be confined to only the Yalama-Nabran
    area, but can also be dispersed by currents and cover almost all the
    coastal areas of our republic.

    [Correspondent] However, experts still evaluate this incident not as
    an ecological disaster, but as a major ecological pollution. Now, the
    concentration of oil in the polluted area exceeds the established
    norm by a factor of 158. This poses a great threat to people's
    health. The chief of the environmental protection department of the
    Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Huseyn Mammadov, says that
    ministry employees are carrying out observations in the Yalama-Nabran
    area. People will be warned against swimming in the sea in case of
    emergency. One step has already been taken. The Azerbaijani ministry
    sent an inquiry to Russia about the incident.

    [Mammadov] We applied to the environmental department of the Russian
    ministry of ecology [as heard, Ministry of Natural Resources] with
    a telephone message and asked them to provide full information about
    the oil spill from the River Terek to the Caspian.

    [Correspondent] Every time there are oil slicks in any part of
    the Caspian, Russia and other Caspian littoral states unanimously
    blame Azerbaijan for producing much oil and being the culprit in the
    contamination. This time, the main culprit in the pollution is known,
    end of quote.

    It should be noted that it is still unclear what will happen to the
    oil slick in the Yalama-Nabran coastal area. The slick's movement
    will depend on natural processes in the Caspian. The slick may
    disintegrate, flow into different areas and pass into the Turkmen and
    Iranian sections. But for the time being, the 300 tonnes of oil are
    closer to the Azerbaijani coasts. That is why, be careful if you do
    not want to dive in white and come up black.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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