The issue
of Nagorno-Gharabagh started first in 1963 with the claim
the Armenians have about the region. Then the problem gained
various aspects when the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous
Region of Nagorno-Gharabagh took the decision of separating
from Azerbaijan and joining to Armenia they consider as the
“homeland” and when the Supreme Soviet of Armenia decided to
annex Gharabagh on June 15, 1988.
The basic
reason of the problem is the expansionist and intransigent
policy of Armenia . Although this fact has been proved by
many international documents and there are many
international decisions, Armenia continues to occupy 20% of
the soils of Azerbaijan .
The
Armenians also refused the decision in the article 78 of the
USSR Constitution of the USSR Supreme Soviet, which says
that “the exchange of the soils between the Republics can
take place with the approval of the Supreme Soviet of the
Republic that will give the soil” and which can be
considered as one of the most important proof of the
occupation. In spite of this fact, the Supreme Soviet of
Armenia agreed unanimously on December 1st, 1989 the
establishment of the “United Armenia” in Nagorno-Gharabagh
and Naxcivan (this decision constitutes the most important
document in regard to the Armenian ambitions about the
region).
The facts
that the Administrative Council of Nagorno-Gharabagh
dissolved on September 2nd, 1991 the autonomous status of
the region and declared the establishment of the “ Republic
of Nagorno-Gharabagh ” and that the National Council of
Azerbaijan took a decision to join the region directly to
Azerbaijan in response to this development struck the events
to reach the actual situation. The problem became
irresolvable with the unilateral declaration of independence
of the Armenians in Nagorno-Gharabagh through the referendum
held on December 10, 1991. The peaceful efforts of various
states could not, however, prevent the occupation of Askeran
by the Armenians in February 1992 and the assassination of
the Turks in the village of Xocali in a bloodthirsty way. In
the decision prepared by the OSCE delegation sent to the
region, it is highlighted that “Nagorno-Gharabagh is within
the soils of Azerbaijan and the borders cannot change”; but
even this decision could not bring the Armenians to their
knees.
As a matter
of fact, it is emphasized in the May 1992 declaration and
decisions of UN Security Council OSCE Committee of Senior
Officials and NATO Council that “the settlements of
Azerbaijan are occupied, the peaceful solution is hindered,
the threat against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
violates the international law and OSCE principles in an
unacceptable way, the forceful changes in the status of
Nagorno-Gharabagh and Naxcivan cannot be accepted”. In the
decision taken on July 29, 1993 by the UN General Council,
the aggressive and expansionist stance of Armenia , which
disrespects the rules of the international law, is blamed
and all the occupying forces are asked to withdraw from the
Azeri soils immediately, entirely and without precondition.
Upon the attack made by the Armenians from Nagorno-Gharabagh
against Jabrail and Fuzuli on August 10-11 1993, the UN
General Council made a declaration in which the occupying
forces are asked again to withdraw immediately and
unconditionally from the lands they occupied, it is
emphasized again that Nagorno-Gharabagh is Azeri soil and
all the concerned parties are asked to abstain from the
activities that will spread further the tension in the
region and to implement the peace process conducted in the
CSCE framework. The other decisions taken by the UN General
Council to prevent the Armenian occupation also confirmed
many times the fact that Nagorno-Gharabagh is the soil of
Azerbaijan . Similarly, in the article 20 of the Lisbon
Document which was adopted at the end of the Lisbon Summit
of the OSCE held on December 2-3 1996, the issue of “respect
for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan ” was published
as the “Presidential Declaration”. This part was agreed by
53 countries except for Armenia . In addition, in the
meeting of the UN General Council on December 12, 1996, a
decision was taken about the cooperation between the UN and
OSCE. This decision, which was taken despite all the counter
efforts of Armenia , confirmed once again that Nagorno-Gharabagh
is the soil of Azerbaijan .
Despite all
the international decisions, the Armenian President Robert
Kocharian did not abstain from restating in his statement on
May 13, 2001 the preconditions about the issues of “the
independence of Nagorno-Gharabagh and its border with
Armenia ”. Also, the Armenian Minister of Defense Sarkisian
admitted in a speech on May 16, 2001 that they had occupied
some lands due to the security reasons.
In the
report prepared by David Atkinson, member of the Commission
of Political Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe, and titled as “the conflict over Nagorno-Gharabagh
region dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference”, the facts
have been underlined as they are. In summary, this reports
says that: “a considerable part of the soils of Azerbaijan
is still under the occupation of Armenia . The military
activities and widespread ethnical hostilities lead to
driving the different ethnics away and to the establishment
of the mono-ethnical regions. This situation is similar to
the notion of ethnic cleansing. The displaced people have
the right to return safely to their homes”.
In
conclusion, Armenia has been warned many times; but it has
not understood these warnings, did not take them seriously
or could not realize the serious results. It’s yet to be
seen what language would be understood by Armenia who has
been documented as “occupier and author of genocide” by the
entire world. On the other hand, although the guarantee of
the status of greatest autonomy has been given to Nagorno-Gharabagh
in return to the evacuation by Azerbaijan of the occupied
lands, the Armenians in Nagorno-Gharabagh, who enjoy the
support of Armenia , seek to become an “independent state”
by benefiting from the situation created by the cease-fire.
The real reason behind this is Nagorno-Gharabagh’s wish to
join with Armenia in the framework of the ideal of “Great
Armenia” after its independence.
