Meeting held in Khojaly by specialists of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Real Estate Service under the Ministry of Economy and AzerGold CJSC, accompanied by peacekeepers sent to the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers were temporarily stationed for the purpose of illegal mining, investigation and monitoring environmental damage, completed. During the discussions, serious concerns and dissatisfaction were expressed over the illegal exploitation of minerals and environmental damage as part of the illegal economic activities carried out in the territories of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeeping forces are temporarily deployed. The importance of monitoring, inventory of property and environmental studies at the fields where illegal mining is carried out and other relevant issues was also emphasized. Based on the results of the discussions held in Khojaly, the headquarters of the peacekeeping forces began preparing a road map with the participation of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and other relevant structures.
It should be reminded that since February of this year, the ESP has repeatedly sent letters to the leadership of Russian peacekeepers in order to highlight the illegal exploitation of Armenians in this area, but the letters still remain unanswered.

The state institutions of Azerbaijan have the authority and the right to carry out monitoring in the areas of temporary deployment of Russian peacekeepers, as well as throughout the country. Azerbaijan also uses its sovereign right to engage experts to prevent environmental damage on its territory. Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised the issue of the illegal exploitation of Armenians in our territories before international organizations.

It should be noted that the Azerbaijani delegation negotiated for almost 3 hours with the leadership of Russian peacekeepers near the checkpoint on the Shusha-Khankendi road. Then the process continued at the headquarters of the Russian peacekeepers.