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Karabakh »
Throughout the known history the region of Karabakh has been part of the Caucasian Albania and later of different Turkic states. From 4th century B.C. to 8th century A.D. the territory of Karabakh was one of the provinces of Caucasian Albania. After the fall of the independent Albanian state, of Sajids, in 10th centuryto the state of Salarids, and in 11-12th centuries - to the state of Sheddadids.
During 12-13th centuries Karabakh constituted part of the Atabey-Ildenizids state, in the second half of 13th century - beginning of 15th century, during the existence of the Mongolian Khulagouid state - part of the Jalairids' state. In the 15th century it existed within the states of Garagoyunlu and Aghgayunlu, and during 16th and 17th centuries Karabakh, as a part of the Karabakh beylerbeyyat (duchy), was within the Sefevi state. The latter consisted of 4 beylerbeyyats: Shirvani, Karabakhi (also known as Ganja), Chukhursaadi (or Erivan) and Azerbaijani (or Tebriz).
Karabakh, being a part of the Karabakhi beylerbeyyat, was ruled by the representatives of the Turkic Zyiadoglu tribe, subordinated to Qajars from 16th till 19th century. In the second half of the 18th century Karabakh belonged to the Karabakh khanate (principality) and along with the latter was incorporated into Russia.
In 1918-20 it was part of the independent Azerbaijan and later in 1924 under the Soviets the Nogorno-Karabakh Autonomous Republic was created again within the Azerbaijan SSR. Finally, in 1988-94 Karabakh was occupied by Armenia.
Since at least IV BC the population of Karabakh consisted of Caucasian Albanians (the ancestors of Azeris) and Turkic-speaking tribes of Barsil, Savir, Hunn, Khazar, Shoumlou, Bakharlou, Kangary and etc. and later  Turkic speaking tribes became dominant in the region. However, until the 18th century the Albanians of today's Nogorno-Karabakh region more or less managed to save their identity. Nevertheless, after mass migrations of Armenians from Iran and Turkey to Karabakh by Russia, the Albanian population heavily mixed with the Armenians and in a very short time was Armenized.
Caucasian Albania, including Karabakh was probably the very first Christian state in the Caucasus (the Kish church in Sheki, is the oldest church in the Caucasus). Most people of Caucasian Albania converted to Islam after the Arab invasion, except the Karabakh Albanians. Like the Albanian identity, the independent Albanian Patriarchy-the Albanian church was abolished and subordinated to the Armenian Grigorian Church in 1836 by the decision of the Russian Tsarist government. Again this was due to the mass migrations of Armenians to the region, which resulted in the Albanian-Armenian assimilation.
War »
On 20 February 1988 the Soviet of the Peoples Deputies of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous region put forth a petition to the Soviets of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Armenian SSR to transfer Karabakh from Azerbaijan to Armenia. While the petition was not granted, many regard this day as the beginning of the present day Azerbaijan- Armenian conflict.
In December 1989 the Parliament of Armenia decided to annex Nagorno-Karabakh, in gross violation of recognised international law. Armenia then began to gradually bring arms across to the annexed area, set up a military bridgehead in Azerbaijani sovereign territory, and shipped vast amounts of armaments into Azerbaijan.
Full scale hostilities erupted in 1991 - 1992, culminating in the massacre of Khojaly, a strategically located Azerbaijani town in the region, where hundreds of Azerbaijani men, women and children died at the hands of Armenian troops. The Armenian military aggression spread beyond the administrative boundaries of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous region and between the years 1992 - 1994, seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan were also invaded.
As a result of Armenian expansionism and agression nearly 20,000 have died, 50,000 were wounded or maimed, and 900 settlements were looted and burnt. Furthermore, 1 million refugees have been driven from Karabakh which represents 1/8 of the entire Azerbaijan population.
Karabakh in International Law »
There is universal recognition in international law that Nagorno-Karabakh remains under the sovereign territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and that Armenian occupying forces should withdraw from the region. The following United Nations Security Council resolutions have been passed with respect to Nagorno-Karabakh:
Resolution 822, agreed on 30 April 1993
Each of these resolutions reaffirms both the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the inviolability of international borders and the inadmissibility on the use of force for the acquisition of territory. Moreover, on 14 March 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution by a vote of 39 to 7, with 100 abstentions, reaffirming Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, expressing support for that country's internationally recognized borders and demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories there.
Some international commentators have noted that resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict rests on whether the principle of sovereign integrity or self-determination should apply in this case. However, considering self-determination in this case - which is what Armenians have been calling for - is misleading, since self-determination only applies when the people in question do not have a sovereign land, which clearly does not apply in the case of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Information taken from www.karabakh.co.uk
The Oxford-Azerbaijan Society actively campaigns for the recognition of Armenia as an occupant and agressor state and put an end to the West's apathy towards the conflict. The Oxford-Azerbaijan Society supports civilised actions and campaigns regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Khojaly Genocide of innocent Azerbaijani citizens. The Society, on the yearly basis, holds events and organises demonstrations and commemoration events in Oxford regarding the Karabakh conflict and victims of war and the Khojaly Genocide. If you want to join us or help us in delivering Azerbaijan realities, please contact us. |
