Azerbaijan-Armenia Clashes
Source : Indian Express
GS II : Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora
What is discussed under Azerbaijan-Armenia Clashes?
- History of the conflict
- Response
Why in News ?
The worst round of hostilities since 2020 apparently resulted in the deaths of Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers after new border confrontations between the two countries.
Key Facts
- After several hours of fighting, the Armenian government appealed to world leaders for help, saying that Azerbaijani forces were trying to advance into its territory.
- The conflict is decades old with its repercussions potentially engulfing all of the Caucasus.
History of the conflict
- Majority of Christians Armenians who are mostly Muslims For centuries, Azerbaijan has been in a state of protracted strife, initially over religious issues but more recently over territorial conflicts.
- During the USSR period Stalin placed the Armenian dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan.
- Azerbaijan, erstwhile USSR started to collapse in the late 1980s, nationalist forces on both sides started a battle for control over the disputed region.
- In 1991, ethnic Armenians in the region declared independence culminating in an all-out war three years later.
- By 1994, Armenia managed to drive large swaths of the Azerbaijani military out of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Cease fire
- Russian imposed ceasefire took effect but failed to resolve the underlying dispute.
- the enclave is still recognised internationally as Azerbaijani territory even though dominated by ethnic Armenians and controlled by Armenian separatists.
- They have declared it as the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.
Current Situation
- Since 2020, relations had been generally calm up until the beginning of this year, following a six-week battle that claimed 6,500 lives.
- Azerbaijani forces seized territory in Farukh, an ethnic Armenian populated village in march 2022.
- EU-backed mediation process established a brief period of peace, but by August, the situation escalated once again.
Response
Turkey
- Was the first country to recognise Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991 and continues to support the country unconditionally.
- Turkey has no official relationship with Armenia, having shut its borders with the country in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan.
- Nagorno-Karabakh also plays a key role in the global energy trade, with pipelines connecting Azerbaijan and Turkey passing by the region.
Russia
- Both countries to respect the ceasefire agreement, and that Russia will continue mediating efforts.
- Russia maintains good relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Iran
- Iran have repeatedly reaffirmed their support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
- Iran is fundamentally opposed to any move that would fuel conflict between the two neighbouring countries of the Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia.
- They have a policy that combined official neutrality with growing support for Armenia.
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