NAGORNO – KARABAKH Conflict

After the fall down of USSR in 1991, it was not the only state that collapsed. Transcaucasus or also known as South Caucasus, as a part of USSR, fell apart as well. In this strategically crucial geopolitical region, located at the southern portion of the Caucasus mountains and surrounded by Black and Caspian seas, three countries – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – got its independence1. Moreover, three nation – states were born: formerly an autonomous regions of Soviet Georgia called South Ossetia and Abkhazia and also formerly an autonomous region of Soviet Azerbaijan, which is called Nagornyi Karabakh2. This last region is the one that is the most significant for this paper work. The word „nagornyi“ translated from Russian language means „mountainous“, which makes sense, because Nagornyi – Karabakh region is located in a very mountainous and forested region of South Caucasus in Azerbaijan, having the Armenian majority inside the region. And here is the answer to the question why there is a conflict in this area: Nagornyi Karabakh is a region which belongs to Azerbaijan by law, but the majority of inhabitants are originated from Armenia3.

The conflict in this region started in the early 1990s after Nagornyi – Karabakh intended to formally join Armenia. Region's government (which was not a legal one, but self – styled) declared independence in 1991, which led to deaths of about 30,000 people and over a million people were left as refugees4. Despite these tragic consequences, the conflict has not received enough media or academic attention and it is largely ignored in internatioal area. Although, this conflict is of great importance for the geopolitical situation in Eurasia and is a huge threat to the Middle East regional security.

This paper work is based on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as the main subject. In order to find out what solutions can be proposed to stop this destructive and useless armed conflict, firstly a brief overview of the historical context of the region will be given.I will explain the roots of the conflict, the main parties in it and what consequences this conflict brought to the Caucasus region. Then, I will move on to institutional basis of the conflict and negotiation process, to specify - the Organization for Security and Cooperation that works as a mediator of the conflict and, at the present time, fails to find a solution to stabilize the situation in the region. After, the main obstacles to solution will be discussed and lastly, I will discuss the possible solutions that could be engaged in the conflict solving and would work effectively.

1 The Office to the President of the Republic of Armenia , „Nagorno Karabach Republic: History and Current Reality“, <http://www.president.am/en/karabakh-nkr/>, [Žiūrėta 2015.05.02]

2 Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, „Stalin‘s Legacy: The Nagorno – Karabakh Conflict“, <http://adst.org/2013/08/stalins-legacy-the-nagorno-karabakh-conflict/> , [Žiūrėta 2015.05.03]

3 Ten pat.

4 Swante E. Cornell, The Nagorno – Karabakh Conflict, Uppsala University, 1999.