Unrecognized Countries: the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh

01:49     23 January, 2015

Unrecognized countries today are a part of our reality. Being the results of unresolved conflicts, they have their impact on the political processes of the world. It is already impossible to ignore their existence and to have these "black holes".  The study about the unrecognized states, their peculiarities and their role is already gaining a great importance.

The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (The Republic of Artsakh) is an unrecognized country. It declared its independence on September 2, 1991. The Constitution of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR) was adopted on December 10, 2006 as a result of the referendum.

Artsakh is not recognized by any UN member state. Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Moldovan Republic of Transnistria have recognized the independence of NKR, which are partially recognized countries, as well as Australia’s New South Wales state, the Senates and the House of Representatives of the US states- Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, the Senate of Louisiana state and the Regional Council of Fresno, California.

NKR has diplomatic representations in the Republic of Armenia (RA), the Russian Federation (RF), the USA, France, Australia, Germany and the countries of the Middle East.

The capital of NKR is Stepanakert. Its territory is more than 12 thousand sq km, its population, according to data received from January 1, 2010 is 141.4 thousand. 95% of the population is Armenians, but there are also Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Georgians and representatives of other nationalities living in Artakh.

In 387, when Armenia was divided, the Nagorno-Karabakh Melikdom was put under the Persian rule, then under the rule of the Russian Empire.  The territory of Nagorno-Karabakh was recognized by the League of Nations as a disputed territory after the 1917 revolution, the declaration of the first Armenian Republic, as well as after the formation of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic. After the establishment of the Soviet rule, in June, 1921 Armenia declared Nagorno-Karabakh as its inseparable part. On July 4, 1921 Russian Communist (Bolshevik) Party Central Committee of the Caucasian Bureau adopted a decision to make Nagorno-Karabakh a part of Armenia. Because of Azerbaijan’s disagreement concerning this decision, the discussion of the question was moved to Russian Communist (Bolshevik) Party Central Committee, which on July 5 decided to leave Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan provided that the former could form a national sovereignty with wider rights within the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1923 the Autonomous Oblast of Nagorno-Karabakh was established within the Azerbaijan SSR, and  in 1937 it was renamed Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO). According to 1939 census, 88% of the population of NKAO was Armenians. 

On February 13, 1988 mass protests took place in Stepanakert demanding the unification of NKAO with Armenia. On February 20 the early session of NKAO popular deputies adopted a decision, which included an appeal to the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan asking them to withdraw from its territory, to the Supreme Council of Armenia - to be attached to Armenia and to the Supreme Council of USSR – to satisfy the appeal.

Thus mass protests started in Azerbaijan with the slogans: "Karabakh is Azerbaijani". Mass killings of Armenians started in Baku and Sumgait. More than 3000 Armenian refugees left Azerbaijan. From 1988 to 1991 the demographic pictures changed significantly: Azerbaijanis left Armenia and NKAO, and Armenians left Azerbaijan.

On September 2, 1991 the Proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (within the borders of former NKAO and Shahumian district) was made in a joint session of the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) regional and Shahumian district councils. Declaration on NKR independence was adopted. In October 1991, Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence, and on November 26 a decree was published to invalidate the autonomy of Nagorno-Karabakh.

In response, on December 10, 1991, after the break up of the Soviet Union, Nagorno-Karabakh held a referendum, as a result of which the majority of the population voted for full independence from Azerbaijan.

Consequently a war broke between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, which lasted from the fall of 1991 till May, 1994. On May 5, 1994 with the mediation of Russia, Kazakhstan and the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Azerbaijan, Nagrono-Karabakh and Armenia signed the Bishkek Protocol in Bishkek , the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Based on this Protocol on May 12 the same sides signed the Ceasefire agreement, which is in force till now.

Today NKR has control over the former NKAO territory, as well as over the 5 regions and on a part of 2 regions liberated during the war. As a result of war NKR has lost its control over the Armenian populated Shahumian district and parts of Martuni and Martakert districts.

According to some data, the toll from the Armenian side was 4,592-12,000, and from the Azerbaijani side – 25,000-30,000.

In 1992 for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict the OSCE Minsk Group was formed, in the framework of which the negotiations continue.

The negotiation process is based on the final determination of the status of Artsakh, the return of the refugees, the territorial dispute, particularly the fate of the 7 liberated regions and many other questions. NKR, which as a conflict side was participating in the negotiations and in 1994 signed the ceasefire agreement, since 1997 has been left out from the negotiation table and its interests are now presented by Armenia.

Today the negotiations continue in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group with the mediation of the co-chairs (USA, RF, France) of the Minsk Group. As sides of the conflict Armenia and Azerbaijan are presented in the negotiations.