Erik Grigoryan: The Black Lake Has Never Been and Cannot Be Part of Azerbaijan

Former Minister of Environment Erik Grigoryan wrote on his Facebook page: "The only evidence from the Azerbaijani side regarding the Black Lake that is widely circulated in the Azerbaijani press is that on November 17, 1987, a resolution by the Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan created the Garagol State Reserve, which includes the Black Lake ("Гарагёльский заповедник, созданного постановлением Совета Министров Азербайджанской ССР от 17 ноября 1987 года").

In reality, at that time, the inter-republican 'Sevlij-Garaghoyl' reserve was established, and such a decision was also signed by the Council of Ministers of Armenia. The reserve was located in the Goris region of the Armenian SSR and the Lachin region of the Azerbaijani SSR, while only a small part of the lake located in the northeastern section was beyond the border. The reserve was maintained by Armenia, and the staff has always been Armenian.

This means that the Black Lake has never been and cannot be part of Azerbaijan under any circumstances, rationale, or map, at any time period. Attached is the publication from 1990 titled Заповедники СССР. Заповедники Кавказа / Edited by V. E. Sokolov, E. E. Syroyechkowski. — Moscow: Mysl, 1990. — 365, [2] pp.: ill., maps. — p. 320. ISBN 5-244-00432-8.