Nagorno Karabakh Conflict: Armenia’s Victory or Nightmare?

Relations between two countries worsened after Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territories between the years of 1988 and 1994. Since 1994, the Karabakh conflict remains frozen even after international mediation. This article aims to explore whether Armenia is truly on the winning side, as well as showing Azerbaijan’s major advantage in this conflict. Research and analysis shows that Armenia experienced economic, demographic, and political crises after the conflict, putting the country in an undesirable situation, while ongoing conflict prevents Armenia from solving its economic and demographic problems. Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan is doing well with the help of its oil reserves, experiencing an oil boom at the end of the twentieth century. This helped to improve country’s economy by decreasing both unemployment and the poverty rate. As Armenia has no such resources, it must rely on expanded trade  to improve its economy. Moreover, Turkey and Azerbaijan closed their borders with Armenia a result of the conflict. Closed borders with two of four neighbor countries prevents Armenia from expanding trade and receiving investment, thus  harming its economy and leading to demographic problems as more and more people leave the country every year in search of economic opportunity. The continuing occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia puts the latter in a disadvantageous position. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » October 2011

‘Nagorno Karabakh status to be defined on return of occupied lands’

Liberation of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan is a priority in the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The statement came from Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

He said the status of Nagorno Karabakh may be defined only after return of lands and displaced persons to their homes.

According to the minister, the Minsk Group co-chairs are to arrive in the region in late October. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » October 2011

Minsk Group’s ‘divergent interests’ and Nagorno-Karabakh

The substantive failure of the so called “Minsk Group” to find a diplomatic solution to the continuing dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh seems already proven. The failure is attributable to the too divergent interests of the three countries, the United States, Russia and France, that assume collectively the chairmanship of the Minsk Group and that in fact determine, or at least should determine, the guidelines.

Particularly ambiguous is the position of Washington, which has been suspended for long years since the Clinton administration between Congress where pro-Armenian positions prevail – so much so that the US has repeatedly committed significant funds as “aid” to the Armenian administration of Nagorno-Karabakh – and the White House, where initially Clinton and later George W. Bush always tried to mediate with Baku, above all, in order to maintain essential relationships able to ensure US oil interests in the Caucasus. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » October 2011

Karabakh bill submitted to Swedish parliament

A resolution calling for the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Karabakh has been submitted to the Swedish parliament.

The resolution will first be debated by the foreign affairs committee before being put to the vote in a plenary session of parliament.

The resolution is the initiative of the Swedish-Azerbaijani Academic Society (SAAS), SAAS Chairwoman Nargiz Nedaei told News.Az. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » October 2011

‘Elections in Nagorno Karabakh possible only in line with Azerbaijani laws’

Elections in Nagorno Karabakh can be held only in line with Azerbaijani laws.

According to the website for the New Azerbaijan Party, the statement came from chief of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh Bayram Safarov.

“No legal elections are possible in Nagorno Karabakh now. Karabakh is an Azerbaijani territory and elections there are possible only in line with Azerbaijani laws. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » September 2011

Nagorno Karabakh on OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session agenda

Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be discussed at the autumn session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Dubrovnik, Croatia on October 7-11.

The statement came from vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Bahar Muradova in her interview to the website of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP).

According to Bahar Muradova, the Azerbaijani delegation many times put forward initiatives to hold such discussions. She said OSCE PA President and Special Representative for the South Caucasus Joao Soares said they would try to organize such discussions. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » September 2011

Russian official, EU envoy discuss Karabakh conflict

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigori Karasin met with new European Union special envoy on South Caucasus Philippe Leforte upon his request today.

The meeting exchanged views on problems in the South Caucasus, including EU co-chairmanship at the Geneva discussions, according to official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » September 2011

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry comments on Armenian event in US Congress

The evening dedicated to the 20th anniversary of “establishment” of the separatist regime of Karabakh was held at the Golden Hall of the Congress.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry commented on the evening organized by the Armenians in the US Congress regarding the 20th anniversary of “establishment” of the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Azerbaijan Press No Comments » September 2011

Central Asia, the Caucasus, and 21st-century security

By  Ross Wilson.

Great conflicts and security challenges of the 20th century took place in Europe and Asia. Since 2001, Afghanistan and Iraq have been leading preoccupations for foreign policy and security planners in both the East and the West. But other states in the region where Eurasia abuts South Asia and the Middle East – especially Central Asia and the Caucasus – look vulnerable. No state in this region is really succeeding. They are variously burdened by inadequate and often authoritarian governance, immense economic problems, corruption, environmental, social, security and other challenges. Interstate and interethnic conflicts abound. Connections with the outside world remain limited aside from the energy ties that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have forged. Relations among regional states are limited as well, and not just because of interstate issues. It is not unfair to say that long-term stability remains a goal, not a state of being for the Caucasus and Central Asia. This region could be a global nightmare, if not flashpoint, in 10, 20 or 30 years’ time. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » September 2011

Parliament counts protocols null, void

Protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia in 2009 to normalize relations between the two countries were recently counted as null and void after Parliament failed to approve them during its 23rd term. Armenia also suspended the protocols one year after they were signed because they were not carried out.

“[Turkey’s] aim was obvious from the get-go. The purpose was merely to attract attention from the international community,” Hagop Çakıryan, an expert on Turkey and a columnist for the Armenian daily Azg, told the Hürriyet Daily News. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by admin Posted in: Turkish Press No Comments » August 2011

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