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Environmentalists warn against giving Syunik pastures to Iran for rent
TERT.AM
15:52 - 02.02.13
Provision of 50 thousand hectares of Syunik pastures to Iran may be a
serious danger for Armenia, a number of environmentalists said at a
news conference on Saturday, expressing their concern over the issue.
Botanist Karen Afrikyan said years later these lands will undergo erosion.
`Our cattle breeders know very well how the pastures should be used
they just do not have means. Farmers were cheated so much that they do
not believe anyone. They say they will return the lands unharmed, it
is a lie, forget it,' the botanist said.
On January 14 a delegation headed by Syunik province's governor Suren
Khachatryan departed for Iran's East Azerbaijan Province where
memorandum of agricultural cooperation was signed between the two
provinces.
Within the framework of cooperation, it is intended to give Syunik
pastures to Iran's East Azerbaijan Province for rent. According to the
same memorandum, 50 thousand hectares of pastures will be provided for
ten years. Another 200 hectares will be provided for settlement. At
least 50 thousand cattle will pasture there.
Iranian Armenian activist Sarmen Shainjanian said after the Turkic
nomadic tribes come to Armenia they will not go back and will build a
school and a kinder-garten and will settle in Armenia for good.
Another activist Gegham Galstyan said the Turkic Iranians may collect
military secrets and report them to corresponding places.
`This issue should have first of all been discussed with the residents
of Syunik. The governor does not have right to go and sign anything
and impose it on people. We have applied to the governor's office, we
even applied to the National security, but all in vain,' he said,
adding that they will not stop and will fight till the end to prevent
the entrance of Turkic nomadic tribes to Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
TERT.AM
15:52 - 02.02.13
Provision of 50 thousand hectares of Syunik pastures to Iran may be a
serious danger for Armenia, a number of environmentalists said at a
news conference on Saturday, expressing their concern over the issue.
Botanist Karen Afrikyan said years later these lands will undergo erosion.
`Our cattle breeders know very well how the pastures should be used
they just do not have means. Farmers were cheated so much that they do
not believe anyone. They say they will return the lands unharmed, it
is a lie, forget it,' the botanist said.
On January 14 a delegation headed by Syunik province's governor Suren
Khachatryan departed for Iran's East Azerbaijan Province where
memorandum of agricultural cooperation was signed between the two
provinces.
Within the framework of cooperation, it is intended to give Syunik
pastures to Iran's East Azerbaijan Province for rent. According to the
same memorandum, 50 thousand hectares of pastures will be provided for
ten years. Another 200 hectares will be provided for settlement. At
least 50 thousand cattle will pasture there.
Iranian Armenian activist Sarmen Shainjanian said after the Turkic
nomadic tribes come to Armenia they will not go back and will build a
school and a kinder-garten and will settle in Armenia for good.
Another activist Gegham Galstyan said the Turkic Iranians may collect
military secrets and report them to corresponding places.
`This issue should have first of all been discussed with the residents
of Syunik. The governor does not have right to go and sign anything
and impose it on people. We have applied to the governor's office, we
even applied to the National security, but all in vain,' he said,
adding that they will not stop and will fight till the end to prevent
the entrance of Turkic nomadic tribes to Armenia.
From: A. Papazian