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FACTBOX-NAGORNO-KARABAKH - DISPUTED BY AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA
Reuters
June 24 2011
June 24 (Reuters) - The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet
along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday to discuss
the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Mediators Russia, the United States and France have urged the leaders
to endorse a framework document that would pave the way for talks to
resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians
threw off Azeri rule in the early 1990s.
Here is a profile of the region and the conflict:
HISTORY:
The status of Nagorno-Karabakh has been disputed since 1918, when
Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent from the Russian empire.
Soviet rule was imposed in the South Caucasus in 1921, and
predominantly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh became an autonomous
region within the Azeri Soviet republic. In 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh
authorities demanded to be transferred to the Armenian republic. The
Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and Nagorno-Karabakh declared
independence in a referendum boycotted by most of the local ethnic
Azeri population.
WAR:
Sporadic fighting between Christian Armenians and Muslim Azeris
erupted in all-out war in 1991. Ethnic Armenian forces, backed by
Armenia, drove back Azeri forces and took control of seven districts of
Azerbaijan adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. Some 30,000 people were killed
and about 1 million became refugees, the majority in Azerbaijan. A
ceasefire was signed in 1994, but there are frequent violations.
GEOGRAPHY, POPULATION:
Statistics are disputed, but Nagorno-Karabakh is estimated to have
a population of a little over 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Almost all
Azeris fled during the war. The capital is Stepanakert. Renowned for
its beauty, the mountain region is around 4,400 square km (1,760 miles)
in area. It has its own political institutions, but is closely linked
politically and economically to Armenia. Its declared independence
has not been recognised by any state, including Armenia.
NEGOTIATIONS: The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's
Minsk Group of U.S., French and Russian envoys leads mediation
efforts, and have organised many meetings between the Azeri and
Armenian leaders since the 1990s.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has stepped up Moscow's mediation.
Before Friday, he had met together with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev
and Armenia's Serzh Sarksyan eight times since he took office in 2008.
BASIC PRINCIPLES:
The mediators hope Armenia and Azerbaijan will finalise and endorse
a 14-point framework document setting out key elements -- or Basic
Principles -- of a resolution and paving the way for negotiations in
a final settlement of the conflict.
The document, which has not been made public, would set guidelines
on six issues at the centre of negotiations:
-The return of Armenian-held territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh
to Azeri control.
-An interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh providing for security and
self-governance.
-The future determination of the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh by
an expression of the will of the people.
-The provision of a land corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenia.
-The right of return of displaced people and refugees on both sides
-International security guarantees, including a peacekeeping force.
PITFALLS:
-If they do agree a framework document, the leaders of Azerbaijan and
Armenia will have to decide whether to make it public after years of
secretive talks, and could face difficulties convincing citizens of
the wisdom of the agreement.
-Fighting along the frontline could jeopardise agreement.
-Diplomats and analysts warn that the sides could drift apart again if
agreement on a framework document is not followed within a reasonable
period by a final peace settlement.
-A resolution will have to square the principles of territorial
integrity, which is emphasised by Azerbijan, and self-determination,
emphasised by Armenia.
-Negotiations on a peace settlement will likely have to involve the
de-facto leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh itself, adding another element
to the volatile mix.
Sources: Reuters/ www.britannica.com
(Writing by Matt Robinson and Steve Gutterman)
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE75N0H120110624?sp=true
Reuters
June 24 2011
June 24 (Reuters) - The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet
along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday to discuss
the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Mediators Russia, the United States and France have urged the leaders
to endorse a framework document that would pave the way for talks to
resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians
threw off Azeri rule in the early 1990s.
Here is a profile of the region and the conflict:
HISTORY:
The status of Nagorno-Karabakh has been disputed since 1918, when
Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent from the Russian empire.
Soviet rule was imposed in the South Caucasus in 1921, and
predominantly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh became an autonomous
region within the Azeri Soviet republic. In 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh
authorities demanded to be transferred to the Armenian republic. The
Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and Nagorno-Karabakh declared
independence in a referendum boycotted by most of the local ethnic
Azeri population.
WAR:
Sporadic fighting between Christian Armenians and Muslim Azeris
erupted in all-out war in 1991. Ethnic Armenian forces, backed by
Armenia, drove back Azeri forces and took control of seven districts of
Azerbaijan adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. Some 30,000 people were killed
and about 1 million became refugees, the majority in Azerbaijan. A
ceasefire was signed in 1994, but there are frequent violations.
GEOGRAPHY, POPULATION:
Statistics are disputed, but Nagorno-Karabakh is estimated to have
a population of a little over 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Almost all
Azeris fled during the war. The capital is Stepanakert. Renowned for
its beauty, the mountain region is around 4,400 square km (1,760 miles)
in area. It has its own political institutions, but is closely linked
politically and economically to Armenia. Its declared independence
has not been recognised by any state, including Armenia.
NEGOTIATIONS: The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's
Minsk Group of U.S., French and Russian envoys leads mediation
efforts, and have organised many meetings between the Azeri and
Armenian leaders since the 1990s.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has stepped up Moscow's mediation.
Before Friday, he had met together with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev
and Armenia's Serzh Sarksyan eight times since he took office in 2008.
BASIC PRINCIPLES:
The mediators hope Armenia and Azerbaijan will finalise and endorse
a 14-point framework document setting out key elements -- or Basic
Principles -- of a resolution and paving the way for negotiations in
a final settlement of the conflict.
The document, which has not been made public, would set guidelines
on six issues at the centre of negotiations:
-The return of Armenian-held territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh
to Azeri control.
-An interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh providing for security and
self-governance.
-The future determination of the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh by
an expression of the will of the people.
-The provision of a land corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenia.
-The right of return of displaced people and refugees on both sides
-International security guarantees, including a peacekeeping force.
PITFALLS:
-If they do agree a framework document, the leaders of Azerbaijan and
Armenia will have to decide whether to make it public after years of
secretive talks, and could face difficulties convincing citizens of
the wisdom of the agreement.
-Fighting along the frontline could jeopardise agreement.
-Diplomats and analysts warn that the sides could drift apart again if
agreement on a framework document is not followed within a reasonable
period by a final peace settlement.
-A resolution will have to square the principles of territorial
integrity, which is emphasised by Azerbijan, and self-determination,
emphasised by Armenia.
-Negotiations on a peace settlement will likely have to involve the
de-facto leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh itself, adding another element
to the volatile mix.
Sources: Reuters/ www.britannica.com
(Writing by Matt Robinson and Steve Gutterman)
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE75N0H120110624?sp=true