Publishing expert conclusion on Amulsar ahead of PM’s visit to the USA gives food for thought: expert

The expert conclusion over Amulsar has been published ahead of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to the United States, expert from Hayatsk think tank Hermine Mkhitaryan told Aysor.am, adding that this circumstance at least gives food for thought.

“Still a year ago Nikol Pashinyan voiced a clear position over Amulsar that a new expert study must be implemented and the issue whether Amulsar exploitation would harm Sevan and Jermuk waters be clarified,” she said, adding that the PM stressed the importance of conduction of expertise by a leading international organization.

“Today we have a situation when the expert conclusion was presented by Lebanese Elard company which may hardly be considered the best organization of the field. Besides, the expert conclusion was not a result of complex environmental study with just documents presented by Lydian having been studied,” the expert stressed, adding that today’s conclusion does not meet the criteria set by the PM himself a year ago.

Mkhitaryan said that by giving permission for exploitation of the mine the head of government probably subordinates the possible environmental issues to solution of external ones, like for instance opening way to Armenia for foreign investors, finding new ways of dialogue with the United States.

“The United States have many times referred to the situation over Amulsar, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills spoke very clearly about the issue. It means that the situation over the mine had an important role in the agenda of U.S.-Armenian relations and it is  remarkable that the expert conclusion over the issue is being published ahead of the premier’s visit to the United States, I think this circumstance at least gives food for thought,” Hermine Mkhitaryan said.