A GLANCE
AT THE ISSUE OF NAGORNO-GHARABAGH
(I)
In this
article, we want to address the “issue of Nagorno-Gharabagh”
which lasts for years; because the Turkish existence in
Nagorno-Gharabagh, which dates back to the 7th century B.C.,
is now exterminated by Armenia . 
While the
Nagorno-Gharabagh is an historical Turkish homeland, it has
been under the Armenian occupation for more than 10 years.
The Azerbaijani Turks living here are exiled form their
soils and they are forced to live under heavy conditions.
The issue of Gharabagh has a long history between Azerbaijan
and Armenia . This issue, which still awaits a solution, has
caused severe violations of human rights such as the
massacres and displacements.
Gharabagh
consists of the mountainous region between the rivers of
Kura and Aras and the Lake Sevan which is actually within
the frontiers of Armenia and of the plateaus in this region.
This region also bears the name of a Azerbaijani Turkish
Khanate that was founded in these territories in the middle
of the 17th century. Since Gharabagh is located in a point
from where the other regions of Gharabagh as well as Armenia
and Iran can be controlled, it has a significant
geopolitical importance.
Meanwhile,
it is necessary to not confuse Gharabagh with Nagorno-Gharabagh;
because Nagorno Gharabagh constitutes only 4392 sq km of
Gharabagh whose area is 18.000 sq km. Gharabagh consists of
the divisions of Aghdam, Terter, Yevlah, Fuzuli, Beylegan,
Kubatlý, Cebrail, Mingecevir, Agcabedi, Hocavend, Susa,
Han-Kendi, Lacin, Kelbecer, Hanlar, Gorus, Akdere, Berde,
Zengezur, Hadrut. Nagorno-Gharabagh consists of the central
division of Hankendi and the divisions of Susa , Akdere,
Madrut, Hocavend and Askeran.
The “issue
of Gharabagh”, which has a long history, emerged in the
second half of the 1980s when the Armenia reclaimed the
mountainous part of Gharabagh belonging to Armenia in the
process of dissolution of the USSR . The demand of the
Armenians about Nagorno-Gharabagh is based on the claim that
“they form the majority of the population there”. It is a
fact that the Armenians constitute actually 75% of the
population. According to the 1989 census, 75% of the
population in Nagorno-Gharabagh consists of the Armenians
and 25% consists of the Azeris. However, the basic reason
for the increase of the number of the Armenians here is the
policy followed by Russia in Caucasia . Also, the fact that
Armenia and the Armenians are indispensable in the Russian
policy in Caucasia gives strength to the Armenian thesis
about Nagorno-Gharabagh.
On the
other hand Azerbaijan claims that Nagorno-Gharabagh belongs
legally and historically to it. Actually, it is not only a
claim but also a fact that is supported by the international
law. While Azerbaijan is only supported by Turkey in this
issue, the Armenians are supported by the countries in the
region, Russia and Iran in particular, and by the Western
states. The Armenians do not, therefore, want to abandon
Nagorno-Gharabagh they consider as a part of their dream of
“Great Armenia”.
To
understand better the issue and reveal the facts, let’s
examine the historical events. Despite the fact that Nagorno-Gharabagh
is the Azerbaijani soil from the legal perspective, (as a
result of the policy conducted by Russia in Caucasia ),
there have been claims about the soils of the region in
parallel with increase of Armenian population since 18th
century. The Armenians, who became the majority in the
region, demand the annexation of Nagorno-Gharabagh to
Armenia . Nagorno-Gharabagh came under the control of the
Ottomans during the rule of Morad III. Until 18th century,
Nagorno-Gharabagh changed hands between the Safavids and
Ottomans and it was later left to Iran again. Panah Ali Bey
founded the Gharabagh Khanate in the region in the 18th
century. This Khanate preserved its independence to the
great extent until 1826 when it was occupied by Russian
Tsardom. Under the Russian occupation, the demographic
nature of the region started to change greatly. General
Sisyanov, a commander of the Russian Tsardom, stated in the
report he sent to the Tsar in 1805 that: “Gharabagh may be
considered as the gate opening to Anatolia , Iran and
Azerbaijan ”. In this way, he highlighted the strategic
importance of the region and he proposed to settle the
Christian elements among the Muslims with the aim of
changing the balance there in favor of the Russians. In this
context, 18 thousand Armenians coming from the soils under
the Qajar rule were settled in Gharabagh in 1825 and 1826.
Later, 50 thousand Armenians were settled there in 1828.
During the Russian-Ottoman war in 1828-1829, the Russian
forces, which occupied the Eastern Anatolia till Erzincan,
settled a bulk of Armenian population of 100.000 coming from
Iran in Caucasia, particularly in Yerevan and Naxçivan. In
the 1830s, the Armenians were let to migrate to Gharabagh
from both Iran and Turkey and the demographic balance was
tried to change.
The
Russians invited the Anatolian Armenians and the Iranian
Armenians, respectively after the Treaty of Edirne 1828-1829
and after the Treaty of Turkmencay, to Caucasia and they
settled them in Gharabagh. The Russians, who considered the
Armenians as a power against the Turks constituting the
majority in Gharabagh having a strategic value, supported
continuously the Armenians. The Armenians, whose number
increased with the help of the Russian support, started an
insurgency in Gharabagh in 1829-1830 and attacked the
Turkish settlements. The first significant Turkish-Armenian
clash in the region did, however, occur after the revolution
in 1905. The Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia , who
declared their independence after the Bolshevik Revolution,
started to fight in order to gain the control of the region.
In 1918, the Armenians in Gharabagh triggered a greater
uprising there and attacked the houses and working places of
the Turks. The massacre could only be stopped when the
Turkish army conquered Baku and initiated its campaign in
Gharabagh. After the Armistice of Mondros, the Turkish army
left the region and the British entered it. The British, who
had previously conducted a policy based on the Armenians and
Georgians in the region, declared in 1920 that Gharabagh was
subordinate to Azerbaijan .
Since 1920,
the Armenians in Gharabagh re-attempted to make massacres
and continued their efforts to make Gharabagh subordinate to
Armenia . While the Azerbaijani forces were trying to
suppress the Armenian insurgency in Gharabagh, the Soviet
Red Army entered Baku and removed the Republic of Azerbaijan
. There were three regions between Azerbaijan and Armenia :
Nagorno-Gharabagh, Naxçivan and Zangezur. Zangezur, which
separates Azerbaijan from Naxçivan, was left to Armenia .
The reason for inserting this region between Naxçivan, who
neighbors Turkey , and Azerbaijan was to prevent Azerbaijan
from becoming neighbor of Turkey . Naxçivan was later given
the “status of autonomous republic and left to the control
of Azerbaijan ” through a decision taken by Russia , Turkey
, Azerbaijan and Armenia . in 1923, Nagorno-Gharabagh was
included in the borders of Azerbaijan by the Russians.
Dear
readers, these are what the history say to us. However, the
issue of Nagorno-Gharabagh still awaits a solution. In the
next part, we will try to reveal again this issue under the
spotlight of the documents.
