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RENEWED TENSIONS OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Georgia Today, Georgia
Aug 7 2014
By Emil Avdaliani
With all eyes focused on Ukraine's border with Russia, it is hardly
surprising that the "other" dispute has fallen off the front pages.
Azerbaijan said on Saturday that it had lost four troops in new
clashes with arch-foe Armenia near the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
region as mediators sounded the alarm over a spike in tensions in
the protracted conflict.
The fresh confrontations - which also led to the death of an ethnic
Armenian soldier - come after Azerbaijan said on Friday that eight
troops had been killed in three days of fighting, with all the major
powers expressing concern over the violence. Russia on Saturday
sounded the alarm, calling the clashes a "serious violation of
a ceasefire agreement and stated intentions to reach a settlement
through political means". Russia, the strongest power in the Caucasus,
has become more engaged in the issue as Azerbaijan's leverage in the
region grows.ã~@~@Russia's involvement could herald a change in this
longstanding conflict.
The defence ministry in Baku said on Saturday: "Armenia's
reconnaissance and sabotage groups once again tried to attack Azeri
positions at the line of contact" near Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia said weapons including grenades and mortars had been used
against Nagorno-Karabakh troops and that the Azeri troops' actions
contradicted the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
Group that creates the threat of large-scale military hostilities.
Later Saturday Armenia announced that President Serzh Sarkisian would
meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in the Russian
Black Sea resort of Sochi next week to discuss the crisis.
The two ex-Soviet Caucasus nations have been locked in a long-lasting
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, with occasional skirmishes along
the front. Armenian-backed separatists seized Nagorno-Karabakh from
Azerbaijan in a 1990s war that claimed approximately 30,000 lives.
The sudden surge in tensions in a region that has been on a knife-edge
for years comes as Armenia's ally Russia is locked in a confrontation
with the West over the future of ex-Soviet Ukraine. There has also
been aã~@~@burst of diplomatic activity in recent months over the
conflict situation.
Despite years of negotiations since the 1994 ceasefire, the two
sides have yet to sign a peace deal. Armenian forces currently control
almost 9% of Azerbaijan's territory outside the former Nagorno-Karabakh
Autonomous Oblast.
In 1994, after mediation by numerous external players including Russia,
Turkey, and Iran, a cease-fire was reached to end the conflict.ã~@~@But
by that time Armenian forces had decisively defeated Azerbaijan, which
led to the de facto independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian
control of several provinces bordering the region.
As the Ukrainian drama unfolds and Russia and the West confront each
other over influence over Kiev, the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute represents
a subtler yet similarly significant issue for the Caucasus.
Asã~@~@Georgia attempts to move closer to the
West,ã~@~@whileã~@~@Armenia strengthens ties with Russia,
Azerbaijanã~@~@is maintaining a careful balance between the two
sides. Azerbaijan thus serves as the pivot of the Caucasus, and
theã~@~@dispute over Nagorno-Karabakhã~@~@is a crucial aspect in
shaping Baku's role.
Russia has historically supported the Armenians,ã~@~@but in light
of Azerbaijan's rising influence, Russia has become more engaged
on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue than it has been in years. Russian
officials have held numerous meetings with officials from Azerbaijan
and Armenia on the issue in recent months, indicating a possible
shift in Moscow's position.
But for Moscow to truly change its stance on Nagorno-Karabakh, it
would need to weaken considerably, or Azerbaijan would need to become
so vital to Russian interests that Moscow would change allegiances
and confront Armenia, an unlikely prospect at the moment.
Emil Avdaliani holds a Master's degree in history from the University
of Oxford, and currently is a PhD student in history and a visiting
lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi
State University.
7.08.2014
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=12554
Georgia Today, Georgia
Aug 7 2014
By Emil Avdaliani
With all eyes focused on Ukraine's border with Russia, it is hardly
surprising that the "other" dispute has fallen off the front pages.
Azerbaijan said on Saturday that it had lost four troops in new
clashes with arch-foe Armenia near the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
region as mediators sounded the alarm over a spike in tensions in
the protracted conflict.
The fresh confrontations - which also led to the death of an ethnic
Armenian soldier - come after Azerbaijan said on Friday that eight
troops had been killed in three days of fighting, with all the major
powers expressing concern over the violence. Russia on Saturday
sounded the alarm, calling the clashes a "serious violation of
a ceasefire agreement and stated intentions to reach a settlement
through political means". Russia, the strongest power in the Caucasus,
has become more engaged in the issue as Azerbaijan's leverage in the
region grows.ã~@~@Russia's involvement could herald a change in this
longstanding conflict.
The defence ministry in Baku said on Saturday: "Armenia's
reconnaissance and sabotage groups once again tried to attack Azeri
positions at the line of contact" near Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia said weapons including grenades and mortars had been used
against Nagorno-Karabakh troops and that the Azeri troops' actions
contradicted the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
Group that creates the threat of large-scale military hostilities.
Later Saturday Armenia announced that President Serzh Sarkisian would
meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in the Russian
Black Sea resort of Sochi next week to discuss the crisis.
The two ex-Soviet Caucasus nations have been locked in a long-lasting
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, with occasional skirmishes along
the front. Armenian-backed separatists seized Nagorno-Karabakh from
Azerbaijan in a 1990s war that claimed approximately 30,000 lives.
The sudden surge in tensions in a region that has been on a knife-edge
for years comes as Armenia's ally Russia is locked in a confrontation
with the West over the future of ex-Soviet Ukraine. There has also
been aã~@~@burst of diplomatic activity in recent months over the
conflict situation.
Despite years of negotiations since the 1994 ceasefire, the two
sides have yet to sign a peace deal. Armenian forces currently control
almost 9% of Azerbaijan's territory outside the former Nagorno-Karabakh
Autonomous Oblast.
In 1994, after mediation by numerous external players including Russia,
Turkey, and Iran, a cease-fire was reached to end the conflict.ã~@~@But
by that time Armenian forces had decisively defeated Azerbaijan, which
led to the de facto independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian
control of several provinces bordering the region.
As the Ukrainian drama unfolds and Russia and the West confront each
other over influence over Kiev, the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute represents
a subtler yet similarly significant issue for the Caucasus.
Asã~@~@Georgia attempts to move closer to the
West,ã~@~@whileã~@~@Armenia strengthens ties with Russia,
Azerbaijanã~@~@is maintaining a careful balance between the two
sides. Azerbaijan thus serves as the pivot of the Caucasus, and
theã~@~@dispute over Nagorno-Karabakhã~@~@is a crucial aspect in
shaping Baku's role.
Russia has historically supported the Armenians,ã~@~@but in light
of Azerbaijan's rising influence, Russia has become more engaged
on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue than it has been in years. Russian
officials have held numerous meetings with officials from Azerbaijan
and Armenia on the issue in recent months, indicating a possible
shift in Moscow's position.
But for Moscow to truly change its stance on Nagorno-Karabakh, it
would need to weaken considerably, or Azerbaijan would need to become
so vital to Russian interests that Moscow would change allegiances
and confront Armenia, an unlikely prospect at the moment.
Emil Avdaliani holds a Master's degree in history from the University
of Oxford, and currently is a PhD student in history and a visiting
lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi
State University.
7.08.2014
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=12554