MOSCOW

The Azerbaijani government called on Armenia on Thursday to halt construction of a metallurgical plant near the two countries' border until the project's cross-border implications are fully clarified.

The Azerbaijani government's press service said in a statement that Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev sent a letter containing the demand to Armenian Minister of Environment Hakob Simidian.

Babayev stated in his letter that they have initiated a procedure under the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment (Espoo Convention) because the construction may have a transboundary impact.

Armenia is required by the Espoo Convention to notify Azerbaijan of the environmental impact of these activities.

"However, Azerbaijan, which is the affected party, has not received any notification related to the project from Armenia," the statement said.

In this regard, Azerbaijan at the first stage demanded an exchange of information in order to discuss the consequences associated with the negative impact of the project.

"At the same time, the Azerbaijani government demanded that Armenia immediately stop the construction of the plant until the full clarification and adequate consideration of the cross-border impact of the project," the statement said.

A corresponding notification on the issue was also sent to the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, it added.

The metallurgical plant in Yeraskh is being built by Armenian and US businesspeople with a total investment of $70 million.