One of Azerbaijan`s ancient settlement and culture centres, Nagorno-Karabakh is part of the Karabakh region. In 1923, the Soviet government established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), covering a total area of 4,400 км², in the mountainous part of Karabakh. This laid the foundation of separatist trends in that region. But in fact, the root cause of the problem goes back to the 18th century when the Armenians, who were resettled in Azerbaijan, laid claims to Azerbaijani lands.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict started with the Armenians` open territorial claims to Azerbaijan`s historical lands and ethnic provocations in 1988. In the early 1980s, the Armenians in the Soviet Union leadership, leaders of Armenian SSR and the Armenian diaspora abroad exploited the weakening of the central government of the USSR to embark on a campaign to annex the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to Armenia.
From 1987 to 1989, more than 250,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from their historical lands in Armenia, with 216 of them brutally murdered, and 1,154 wounded.
At the February 20, 1988 session of the NKAO Soviet of People’s Deputies, members of the region`s Armenian community adopted a resolution to appeal to the Supreme Soviets of Azerbaijan SSR and Armenian SSR to annex NKAO to Armenian SSR.
On February 22, 1988, the Armenians opened fire on a peaceful demonstration staged by the Azerbaijanis near the town of Asgaran to protest against the decision of the Soviet of People’s Deputies of NKAO. Two Azerbaijani young people were killed in this incident to become the first victims of the conflict.
On December 1, 1989, the Supreme Soviet of Armenian SSR adopted an unprecedented resolution “On the unification of Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh”.
On January 10, 1990, the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet adopted a resolution “On the nonconformity with the USSR Constitution of the acts on Nagorno-Karabakh adopted by Armenian SSR Supreme Soviet on December 1, 1989 and January 9, 1990”. The resolution described as illegal Armenian SSR`s act on the unification of Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh without Azerbaijan SSR`s consent.
On August 30, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan declared the restoration of state independence. On October 18, the Constitutional Act “On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan” was adopted.
On November 26, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted the Law ‘On the abolition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.
In the late 1991-early 1992, the conflict entered its military stage. Having exploited the collapse of the Soviet Union and political instability in Azerbaijan caused by the internal standoff, Armenia began military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh with external military support.
In February of 1992, an unprecedented massacre of the Azerbaijani population of the town of Khojaly was committed. Known as Khojaly Genocide, this tragedy resulted in thousands of Azerbaijanis being massacred or captured and the town razed to the ground.
In May 1992, the town of Shusha and Lachin district, located between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, were occupied. In 1993, the Armenian armed forces captured six more Azerbaijani districts around Nagorno-Karabakh – Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan.
On April 30, 1993, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 822, demanding immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from the Kalbajar district and other occupied areas of Azerbaijan.
On July 29, 1993, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 853, demanding immediate complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from the district of Aghdam and all other occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On October 14, 1993, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 874, calling for the immediate implementation of the reciprocal and urgent steps provided for in the CSCE Minsk Group’s "Adjusted timetable", including the withdrawal of forces from recently occupied territories.
On November 11, 1993, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 884, condemning the recent violations of the cease-fire established between the parties, which resulted in a resumption of hostilities, and particularly condemning the occupation of Zangilan district and the city of Horadiz, attacks on civilians and bombardments of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and demanding the unilateral withdrawal of occupying forces from Zangilan district and the city of Horadiz and the withdrawal of occupying forces from other recently occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved within the international borders and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The entire world community unambiguously recognizes and supports Azerbaijan`s sovereignty and territorial integrity. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: “Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity has never been negotiable. And it will never be… Azerbaijan will never step back one inch from this position. That is, no concession will be made in relation to Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity…”
