Azeri expert slams foreign NGO for mine clearing in Karabakh
Trend news agency
18 May 06
Baku, 18 May: The activity of the HALO Trust is illegal and the
organization is violating international law by clearing mines on
occupied Azerbaijani territories, Nazim Ismayilov, director of the
Azerbaijani National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), has told
reporters.
In accordance with international practice, munitions found and defused
are not calculated in tonnes or kilograms. "Every landmine, every
shell poses a hazard and it is inappropriate to talk about tonnes of
them," Ismayilov said, adding that the HALO Trust's information was
off the mark.
"It is not possible to control the organization's work. They are
working in Nagornyy Karabakh, Abkhazia and also in some African
countries which are inaccessible for international monitoring. It is
not known what the organization is actually doing," he stressed. He
went on to say that the organization was deliberately choosing areas
which are difficult to control.
He said that the UK and the Netherlands were supporting the HALO
Trust's activity. "Both states are funding the HALO Trust. To its
protest, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry was told that the
organization was allegedly carrying out humanitarian activity and its
work was legitimate," he said.
He added that Azerbaijan was seriously displeased with the
organization's work.
Trend news agency
18 May 06
Baku, 18 May: The activity of the HALO Trust is illegal and the
organization is violating international law by clearing mines on
occupied Azerbaijani territories, Nazim Ismayilov, director of the
Azerbaijani National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), has told
reporters.
In accordance with international practice, munitions found and defused
are not calculated in tonnes or kilograms. "Every landmine, every
shell poses a hazard and it is inappropriate to talk about tonnes of
them," Ismayilov said, adding that the HALO Trust's information was
off the mark.
"It is not possible to control the organization's work. They are
working in Nagornyy Karabakh, Abkhazia and also in some African
countries which are inaccessible for international monitoring. It is
not known what the organization is actually doing," he stressed. He
went on to say that the organization was deliberately choosing areas
which are difficult to control.
He said that the UK and the Netherlands were supporting the HALO
Trust's activity. "Both states are funding the HALO Trust. To its
protest, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry was told that the
organization was allegedly carrying out humanitarian activity and its
work was legitimate," he said.
He added that Azerbaijan was seriously displeased with the
organization's work.