War Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
- 2. What does Nagorno Karabakh (NK) mean? 1. Karabakh is one of the ancient historical regions of Azerbaijan. The name Karabakh is a combination of the words gara (black, big) and bagh (garden, land) in Azeri language. The word Karabakh as a name given by Azerbaijani people to their land first appeared in primary sources of the 7th century. 2. WHAT IS IN THE ROOT OF THE CONFLICT? Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armenians in Karabakh had already armed and they began operations there in 1988. Large- scale military operations were halted with the signing of a cease- fire in 1994, and Nagorno-Karabakh together with another 7, adjacent, regions of Azerbaijan - Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan - were occupied by Armenia. They created the so-called Artsakh Republic in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh. 3. HAS ANY COUNTRY RECOGNISED ARTSAKH (ARMENIAN NAMING NK REGION) AS AN INDEPENDENT STATE? No! The sovereign status of the Artsakh is not recognized by any United Nations member state (not even Armenia), but has been recognized by similiar separatists countries as Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia that are not recognised by UN Member States either.
- 3. All Azeris who were living in Nagorno Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions of Azerbaijan either were brutally killed or forced to flee from the war. This has led to more than 1 million refugees and internally displaced people in Azerbaijan, making the country with one of the highest IDPs per capita. The Republic of Armenia is responsible for the violation of the general human rights of these refugees according to Art. 13 (2) UDHR and Art. 17 (2) UDHR. 4. WHAT HAPPENED TO AZERIS, WHO LIVED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH?
- 4. The war is taking place within the internationally recognized territory of the Azerbaijan Republic. Nagorno-Karabakh and the 7 other occupied territories are an integral part of the Azerbaijan Republic and it is recognized by all UN Member States around the world including Armenia. Azerbaijan has NO territorial claim on UN-recognized Armenian territories. 5. WHERE ARE THE MILITARY CLASHES HAPPENING NOW BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA? Photo: Azerbaijan Map and Conflict Zone. Source Al Jazeera
- 5. The UN Security Council adopted no.4 (four) resolutions #822 (1993), #853 (1993), #874 (1993) and the last one #884 adopted on 12 November (1993) reaffirming previous resolutions and demands for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and hostile acts with a view to establishing a durable cease- fire, as well as immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Resolution 884: https://undocs.org/S/RES/884(1993) Resolution 874: https://undocs.org/S/RES/874(1993) Resolution 853: https://undocs.org/S/RES/853(1993) Resolution 822: https://undocs.org/S/RES/822(1993) 6. What does the international community say about this conflict? Photo: UN Security Council
- 6. 1. In August 2019 he gave a speech in the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh saying Karabakh is Armenia and that's it. That started the provocation against Azerbaijan because previously nobody from Armenian officials claimed that Nagorno-Karabakh is Armenia which is a violation of peace talks and principles by the OSCE Minsk Group. He then actively and publicly tried to change the negotiation format which was originally deemed as a crucial brick stone for the peaceful solution of the conflict. In particular, he was against the previous negotiation points and most importantly he insisted on starting negotiations from scratch with the involvement of The Artsakh Republic (that not a single UN Member States recognizes). 2. On May 21st, 2020 during the high peak period of COVID-19, Pashinyan provocatively attended an inauguration ceremony that was organized in Shusha (a town with special cultural importance for Azeris) for the leader of the so-called Artsakh Republic on Azerbaijan`s territories currently occupied by Armenia 4. On July 12, 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces grossly violated the ceasefire on the direction of the Tovuz region of the AzerbaijaniArmenian state border. The Tovuz region is by far not even close to the Nagorno-Karabakh area; nonetheless, it didnt stop the Armenian government from attacking Azerbaijani civilians. 6. In August 2020, Armenia provocatively published news about the settlement of two Lebanese families in Nagorno-Karabakh which is again a violation of international law as these territories officially recognized as an integral part of Azerbaijan. 7. On September 27, 2020 after the next attack on Azerbaijan lands, Azerbaijan started to execute its right to defend its lands as well as civilians across all fronts against Armenian Forces. 7. WHY ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WAR ESCALATED BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN AFTER 26 YEARS? The PM of Armenia, N.Pashinyan after the revolution started with peace messages to Azerbaijan. Despite some initial indications that he would be more open to a negotiated solution, Pashinyan has taken a harder line, including calling for Nagorno-Karabakh to be formally integrated into Armenia. Photo: Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan
- 7. 8. IS IT TRUE THAT TURKEY IS FIGHTING ALONGSIDE AZERBAIJAN? No! the Turkish army does not fight alongside Azerbaijan even though they openly announce their moral support to the Azerbaijan government and nation. Turkey and Azerbaijan are brotherly countries with the principle of one Nation two States. Turkey has openly supported Azerbaijan since the beginning of this war in the 90-s and closed its borders with Armenia demanding immediate withdrawal of their troops from officially recognized territories of Azerbaijan, which is in line with all no. 4 UN Security Council resolutions. 9. IS IT TRUE THAT SYRIAN FIGHTERS ARE FIGHTING FROM THE AZERBAIJAN SIDE? Absolutely NO! Azerbaijan has over 10 million population and close to 130,000 active armies and 300,000 reserve soldiers, versus Armenia around 60,000 active armies and 260,000 reserve army. Azerbaijan has a strong professional army (equipped with the latest modern artillery) that can defend its borders. Besides that, the current battles consist of long-distance artillery usage and military drone attack that eliminate the need for infantrymen. The presence of Syrian fighters would require coordination between the regular army and them, which would create language barriers, discipline issues, and many more problems. Not mentioning that NK is a mountainous area, where desert trained Syrian fighters would have no experience. Photo: Azerbaijan army took control over Armenian military post in Nagorno-Karabakh
- 8. No. Azerbaijan is a multicultural and secular country with many ethnic and religious minorities, including Avars, Jews, Tatars, Lezgins, Talishs, and even Armenians. In the city center of Azerbaijan capital Baku, there is even an Armenian Church that is intact until today and is open for everyone to worship. Unfortunately the same cannot be claimed to be true with all the mosques in Nagorno Karabakh after Armenian occupation. 10. Is this an ethnic war? 11. IS THIS RELIGIOUS WAR? No. Even though Azerbaijan by the majority (90%) is Muslim-Shia like Iran, Iran is mainly supporting Armenia (not openly, but still recognizing Azerbaijans territorial integrity) and at the same time, Israel, Ukraine, Georgia is supporting Azerbaijans territorial integrity (Photo: Armenian Church in Baku, Azerbaijan) 12. IS IT TRUE THAT AZERBAIJAN WANTS TO ATTACK ARMENIA? No. Azerbaijan President and government officials many times indicated that Azerbaijan has no territorial claim on UN- recognized Armenian territories. Azerbaijan President and people only want to restore their integral territory that is officially recognized by all UN Member States
- 9. 13. WHY DOES ARMENIA WANT THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REGION? Nagorno-Karabakh was an autonomous territory of Azerbaijan during the Soviet Union where both ethnic Armenians and Azeris lived together. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia claimed that this is historical Armenian land calling it Artsakh, even though there is no proof or historical evidence that NK has ever belonged to Armenia. 14. IS IT TRUE THAT ARMENIANS OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELF- DETERMINATION AND THAT IS WHY THEY OCCUPIED AZERBAIJAN TERRITORIES? Armenia has already self- determined themselves. Armenia has the independent Armenian Republic. They can not self-determine themselves the second time in a different country- independent Republic of Azerbaijan whose territorial integrity is recognized by all UN Member States. 15. ARMENIA CLAIMS THAT IT IS THEIR TERRITORY BECAUSE THEY CAME TO THESE LANDS BEFORE THAN ANYONE. IS THAT TRUE? There is no proof in history these territories ever belonged to Armenia. Even there is a fabricated history that does not change the fact that international law is on Azerbaijan's side and all UN Member States recognize the integral territory of Azerbaijan Republic. The Azerbaijan Republic considers all people and ethnic minorities as their citizens including Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of Azerbaijan.
- 10. Armenians believe that in July 1921, Stalin intervened the decision of the Caucasian Bureau of the Russian Communist Party Central Committee and gave the NK region to Soviet Azerbaijan. However, according to official archive documents, it is clearly stated to keep (translated from the Russian word 仂舒于亳) NK Region ( Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within Soviet Azerbaijan ( where it was located initially. Azerbaijan was an Independent State from May 28, 1918, until 28 April 1920 and the official territory of Azerbaijan was 114.000 sq ( currently it is 86.000 sq). In all official documents and maps at that time, Nagorno Karabakh was a part of the Azerbaijan Republic 16. IS IT TRUE THAT ARMENIA BLAMES IOSIF STALIN FOR GIVING NK TO AZERBAIJAN? Photo: 仂仂从仂仍 亰舒亠亟舒仆亳 仗仍亠仆仄舒 从舒于弍ﾑ仂 丶 (弍) dated 5th July 1921) Photo: A map of Azerbaijan in 1918 (confirmed in Paris Peace Conference).
- 11. 17. DO RUSSIA AND TURKEY HAVE MILITARY BASES IN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN RESPECTIVELY? Russia has a military base in Gyumri, Armenia but Azerbaijan neither has Russian nor Turkish military bases in Azerbaijan. 18. IS IT TRUE THAT TURKEY'S F16 SHOT DOWN THE ARMENIAN SU 23 FLIGHT JET? Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) together with other members: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. In nutshell, according to this treaty, aggression against one signatory would be perceived as an aggression against all member countries. Basically, with fake news, Armenia is trying to create regional war by involving CSTO member countries against Azerbaijan. However, after the news erupted, Armenia could not provide any proof and in reality, they realized their pilot just crashed into the mountains. Currently, CSTO member countries cant intervene because the war is going on internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan. IS IT TRUE THAT THE ARMENIAN FORCES COMMITTED GENOCIDE IN KHODJALI DURING THE FIRST ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN WAR? Yes. The history that Azeris never forget is the Khodjali massacre, that took place on 26 February 1992 in Khodjali town. Armenian forces mass murdered 613 civilians including 106 women and 63 children in Khodjali town. The Khojaly massacre was described by Human Rights Watch as "the largest massacre to date in the conflict" over the Nagorno-Karabakh.
- 12. 20. WHAT IS THE FORMULA FOR PEACE? There is only one peace formula that is accepted by the Azerbaijan government and nation. This is Armenia should withdraw all their armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions which are officially recognized as integral territory of the Azerbaijan Republic by all UN Member States. Azerbaijan accepts all Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh as their citizens and provides equal rights to them as every Azeri citizen. The Azerbaijan Republic even offered the highest level of Autonomy Status to Nagorno Karabakh but ONLY within the territory of Azerbaijan Republic.