On April 12, 2024, the first procedural session of the arbitration proceedings between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the Bern Convention on the Protection of European Wildlife and Natural Environment occurred. The hearings took place in The Hague, at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, during which the Representative for International Legal Affairs, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, led the Armenian delegation.

Armenia's trajectory in environmental protection speaks for itself. Armenia has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to protecting wild flora and fauna and the natural environment in the region, including through its close cooperation with the Berne Convention Permanent Delegate.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan seems to be sticking to its cynical strategy of using so-called "environmental concerns" as a tool for political reasons. In recent years, Azerbaijan's military aggression has led to severe environmental problems in the region, destroying forests, polluting land and water resources, including depleting the resources of the Sarsang reservoir. The flora and fauna of Nagorno-Karabakh are also threatened by Azerbaijan's constant demolition and construction activities aimed at preventing the return of ethnic Armenians to their homeland.

Armenia will seek to reassert its position and defend its interests in these arbitration proceedings, challenging Azerbaijan's baseless claims and presenting its claims against Azerbaijan for continued violations of its environmental obligations at the appropriate stage of the proceedings.