No official cooperation exists between Armenia and Azerbaijan in trans-boundary river water management – authorities respond to Ambassador Libby’s statement
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenian authorities have denied the recent statement by the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby claiming that Armenia and Azerbaijan have been working on an integrated water management scheme for trans-boundary rivers with Washington’s support.
After Ambassador Libby’s November 12 statement during COP29, Armenpress asked the Armenian foreign ministry and the environment ministry to comment.
The Ministry of Environment said that there is no official cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan in water management of trans-boundary rivers.
“There is no official cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the trans-boundary rivers water management,” the ministry of environment said, adding that as part of the USAID/Armenia Improved Water Management Program, the 2025-2030 plan for the Southern Basin Management Area and the instrument for calculating the river load is under development.
“Two hydrological observation posts on the Akhuryan River are being modernized, and the hydrological observation post of Araks-Surmalu is also planned to be modernized,” the environment ministry said.
In turn, the foreign ministry also said that no official cooperation exists with Azerbaijan in the area. However, the foreign ministry said that non-governmental organizations of the two countries could have had contacts on the matter in the past.
“There is no official cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the sector of water management of trans-boundary rivers. The Republic of Armenia is engaged in international and regional cooperation in areas of environmental protection and water resources management with stakeholder countries that are committed to duly and constructively implementing their obligations stemming from international law, including environmental conventions. In particular, Armenia is effectively cooperating with neighboring Georgia, Iran, as well as Turkey, in the sector of trans-boundary water resource management. At the same time, according to our information, contacts around the matter have been held between NGOs of the two states,” the foreign ministry said.
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby, in his remarks during COP29 in Azerbaijan, had said, “A group of hydrologists and engineers from Azerbaijan and Armenia are working together—with our active support—on an integrated water management scheme for trans-boundary rivers.”