Araks Dam: MFA Explains Coordination with Turkey

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has commented on why Yerevan is coordinating the project to build a dam on the Araks River with Ankara, although there is no such requirement in the treaty. Earlier, a number of media outlets had written that for a year and a half, Armenia has been coordinating the issue of building a dam on the bank of the Araks River with Turkey. However, the existing convention between the countries on border rivers and streams implies that Armenia is only obliged to "give timely warning" about the construction. There is no need for "coordination."

Sputnik Armenia had sent an inquiry to the MFA, asking why Armenia is coordinating the construction of the dam with Turkey, including the project documents, when according to the 1972 treaty between the USSR and Turkey, Yerevan should simply inform about it. The Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the RA has notified the Republic of Turkey about the reinforcement works on the coastal section of the Araks River, in accordance with the treaty provisions. "At the same time, as necessary, there are contacts and consultations between the parties on the topic, in the logic of cooperation between the two neighboring countries," the MFA added.

According to information, the cost of constructing the dam to return the Araks River to its former riverbed in the area of the Araksavan and Burastan communities will be about $1 million.

As a reminder, as a result of illegal sand mining, the Araks River, which forms the border with Turkey, changed its course, and an island of about 400 hectares was formed outside its borders. The topic unintentionally turned from an economic violation into an interstate issue. To avoid problems, the ministry proposed to build a dam-barrier about 130 m long and 8 m deep on the current riverbed of the Araks River to direct the river's waters to its former course.