Expert Aybeniz Ahadova: If the principles of “green growth” are fully followed in our liberated areas, these regions will become more attractive from a tourist point of view.
Environmental protection, restoration and protection of religious and cultural monuments, compliance with ecotourism standards and proper use of the region’s potential in this regard are important factors in economic reintegration in our territories freed from occupation. We learned the expert’s opinions and suggestions on the subject.
Our interviewer is Aybeniz Ahadova, a scientific worker of the AR ETN Institute of Radiation Problems, specialist in Radiocarbon and Spectroscopic Analysis.
– We have countless examples of material culture. After our ancient and historical territories were freed from occupation, there was a greater need for research and other measures in this direction. At present, is it possible to study each of these material and cultural samples in local laboratories by our local qualified personnel? In general, what are the contributions of the institution you represent to these processes?
– Within the framework of support for the State Program on the “Great Return” to the territories freed from occupation and at the same time the principles of “Green Growth”, water basins in East Zangezur and surrounding areas , protection of natural bioresources, ecologically clean preservation, as well as protection of our destroyed and deliberately falsified material and cultural monuments in our territories freed from occupation, objectively conveying their history to the world community is the main goal of everyone within the scope of their activities. As a specialist, my participation in this process is the correct dating of our monuments with accurate radiochemical methods and the richness of our history by publishing articles in international indexed journals to the world community. It is no secret that samples of special importance have been sent to foreign laboratories for years and their absolute ages are determined there. Carrying out these analyzes by foreign specialists of unknown nationality calls into question the objectivity of the results obtained from the samples. Because, as a country, we have witnessed that even the history of our world-famous monuments has been deliberately falsified and appropriated by Armenian vandalism based on the results of foreign laboratory analyses. At this point a question arises. As a developing country, why don’t we define our own history? Why do some institutions send our historical artifacts to foreign laboratories? Another question is whether it is possible to send all the numerous material and cultural samples of a country with such a rich history abroad? The answer is simple. Of course not. Queuing online for months, the sample passing from hand to hand with unknown technical conditions and traveling for hours, plus a huge amount of money… All this is both a huge waste of money as a state and is against the principles of “Green Growth” that contributes to the effective reintegration of our country. is a nuance. In this regard, as a young researcher of the “Radiocarbon and Spectroscopic Analysis of Historical Monuments” laboratory, which has been operating at the Institute of Radiation Problems for 7 years, this problem worries me. and i thinkWhile it is possible to study each of our countless material and culture samples in our local laboratory by our local qualified personnel, we must define our own history and in the future we must make efforts to further develop this field so that our domestic potential is instilled in the world community from all sides and the richness of our historical monuments creates interest in tourists and increases the flow of tourism to the country. lead to strengthening.
-Using the potential of ecotourism by following the principles of “green growth” and thereby contributing to the effective reintegration of those areas is also profitable from an economic point of view. It is also reported that the touristic potential of that region is high. From this point of view, what steps should be taken to develop ecotourism in these areas?
– In general, for the development of the tourism sector, only magnificent buildings and landscaping are sometimes not enough. Here, the role of the cultural thinking of the human factor is irreplaceable. It is a fact that in some country or city with no new constructions or grand buildings, the level of tourism reaches its peak. I think that instead of changing something, the main goal should be to preserve what is there and keep it ecologically clean. This mainly applies to our mountainous areas freed from occupation. Not even a single tree should be cut in these green and charming areas and if the principles of “Green Growth” are understood and followed both literally and broadly, these regions will look more attractive from a tourist point of view.
– Within the framework of the great return, people will settle more densely in the territories freed from occupation. This increases the possibility of relatively more pollution of water bodies. In this sense, the education of the population relocated to the regions, ecotourism enthusiasts, amateur fishermen and other groups in terms of environment and ecotourism is the need of the day. What actions are needed in this direction? Does your institution take any samples from water bodies and conduct research?
– In order not to destroy the water bodies and bioresources in our liberated territories, the samples taken from these waters from time to time are checked for pollution, etc. analysis should be carried out, and encouraging measures should be implemented to preserve the eco-cleanliness of the basins. As an employee of the Institute of Radiation Problems, I should note that we, in our turn, took water samples from the Araz River and water bodies in our freed territories, and determined the amount of Tritium in the water, pollution, etc., based on these principles. we set from time to time. We carry out these analyzes taking into account both the radioactive waste discharged into the Araz River due to the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Armenia, as well as the danger of radioactive pollutants settling into the waters in our occupied lands during the occupation. From this point of view, unauthorized use of those water bodies, implementation of illegal bio-hunting is a direct threat to the human body. I think that if everyone is enlightened in a civil manner based on this reason, lawlessness will not happen and we will stay healthy.
– You mentioned AES. What are the dangers and threats of “Metsamor” to the Karabakh region and to the ecological situation of the region in general?
– The use of the Nuclear Power Station is a process that requires sufficient funds for each state. Therefore, it is questionable how safe this station is operated and managed for Armenia. In Japan, which was once considered one of the strongest countries, we faced a tragedy such as the collapse of several blocks of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant as a result of the tsunami. Of course, everyone knows that Armenia is not a strong country like Japan. Therefore, it is difficult to say how any natural phenomenon in Armenia will affect “Metsamor”. States neighboring Armenia have the right to request a report from the IAEA on the situation of “Metsamor”. Because if any unwanted event happens here, its consequences will cover the whole region. In general, serious tragedies can occur for our continent.
The liquid waste of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is ultimately discharged into the Araza, a transboundary river. The plant is located in an area suffering from water scarcity, and the water needed to cool the aging reactor is drawn from deep wells. During earthquakes, it is possible to change the level of underground water and the direction of flows, which clearly demonstrates the unreliability of the cooling system.
The Armenian authorities, which do not take into account the nuclear safety of their own people and the peoples living in the regional states, only with joint global efforts “Metsamor” Atomic Electric He may be forced to stop the operation of his station. The Nuclear Energy Summit, which defines as its main direction the achievement of the goals arising from the principles of “green growth”, always acts as a convenient platform in this regard. This is the expectation of the Azerbaijani community, which will host COP29.
The article was prepared within the framework of the “Ecotourism standards in liberated areas” project implemented by the Globalized World Integration Public Union with the financial support of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The position of the author or the interviewee and the position of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations may not be compatible.