Taliban’s Ministry of Mines Urges Chinese Firm To Start Extraction of Aynak Copper Mine
Shahabuddin Delawar, the Taliban’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, urged the Chinese contractor of Aynak copper mine to start the extraction process.
Shahabuddin Delawar, the Taliban’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, urged the Chinese contractor of Aynak copper mine to start the extraction process.
However, the Chinese company has stated that the extraction of the Aynak copper mine will start after the transfer of ancient artefacts from the mining site.
The Chinese company, MCC, won the Aynak copper mining contract in May 2007, but since then, they have refused to extract the mine due to "security reasons and the presence of ancient artefacts in the mining area".
During a meeting with the Chinese contractor, Delawar has that the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has fulfilled its responsibilities according to the contractual agreement and stressed that the Chinese company should not delay the extraction process.
Delawar added that a committee with representatives of the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, the Ministry of Information and Culture, and the Chinese MCC Company has been formed to transfer the ancient artefacts from Mes Aynak.
Earlier, in a meeting with Mullah Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, the Chinese contractor representatives had said that after the complete transfer of the artefacts of the Aynak copper mine area, they will start the extraction process.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, too, said that the ministry has been prepared to transfer these artifacts.
According to the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, the Chinese company has also promised to provide support for 300 families living in the area where the Aynak copper mine is located.
