Khndzoresk ( Armenian : Խնձորեսկ , pronounced [χəndzɔˈɾɛsk] ) is a village in the Goris Municipality of the Syunik Province in Armenia . The village is located to the east of the Goris - Stepanakert highway, on the steep slopes of Khor Dzor (Deep Gorge), which the village is named after, according to tradition.
90-409: Crossing the bridge at the entrance of the village, the road continues towards the towns of Lachin and Stepanakert . New Khndzoresk (the current inhabited area) was built in the 1950s. The village is located at 1,580 m (5,180 ft) above sea level and occupies 6,772.8 ha (26.150 sq mi). In the end of the 19th century, Old Khndzoresk was the biggest village of Eastern Armenia. In
180-602: A bus shelter has been left unscarred". A Kurdish nationalist organization in the area, the "Caucasian Kurdistan Freedom Movement", proclaimed the establishment of the Kurdish Republic of Lachin , after Armenian troops entered the town. However, most of the local Kurdish population had by then fled, and the attempt quickly proved abortive. Lachin was then transferred to be administrated by the Republic of Artsakh as part of its Kashatagh Province . Artsakh repopulated
270-399: A canton of the historic Artsakh province of Greater Armenia ; it was alternatively transcribed as Beradzor , Berdzor , or Berdzork . The reputed author Movses Kaghankatvatsi mentions a so-called Berdzor horse purportedly indigenous to the region, as does Makar Barkhudaryan , an Apostolic bishop, traveler, polymath , and ethnographer from Shusha . During the mediaeval period,
360-601: A more constructive attitude and to abandon preferences to perpetuate the status quo created by force and with no international legitimacy, creating in this way instability and prolonging the suffering of the war-affected populations; condemns the idea of a military solution and the heavy consequences of military force already used, and calls on both parties to avoid any further breaches of the 1994 ceasefire". The resolution also calls for withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan, accompanied by deployment of international forces to be organised with respect of
450-431: A number of administrative and public institutions, such as a community council, a secondary school (with 370 pupils), a musical school, a kindergarten, a library, a museum and a culture club. In the 1823 survey of the province of Karabakh completed by Russian general Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov , Khndzoresk, mentioned as was Khinzyrak, was recorded as an Armenian village consisting of 170 tax-paying households, headed by
540-512: A region of Azerbaijan. None of these resolutions were passed under Chapter VII (Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression) of the Charter. Certain politicians and legal scholars have expressed the view that resolutions are only legally binding if they are made under Chapter VII of the Charter. However, it does not mean that binding force of
630-594: A regional hospital, four dental clinics, two secondary schools, the Berdzor Music School and the Berdzor Art and Sports School, and a kindergarten. Lachin is twinned with: Political status of Nagorno-Karabakh The political status of Nagorno-Karabakh remained unresolved from its declaration of independence on 10 December 1991 to its September 2023 collapse. During Soviet times, it had been an ethnic Armenian autonomous oblast of
720-555: A result of the negotiations, and only after that Armenia would recognize it. At the same time, if the war goes on and there is no chance for the negotiations to resume, Armenia will most probably will have no choice but to recognize [Artsakh]...We believe that there is no military solution to this problem." When the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War started, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated that the Armenian government
810-710: A solution until the final status is determined and that it could create a transitional framework for peaceful coexistence and cooperation of Armenian and Azerbaijani populations in the region." In October 2013, the European Parliament adopted the Resolution on the European Neighbourhood Policy in which it is stated that the occupation by one country of the Eastern Partnership (which includes Armenia and Azerbaijan) of
900-564: A thorough description of the community in his chronicles. During the 1980s, an additional village sprouted 7 km (4.3 mi) from Khndzoresk due to resizing and political unrest. This village, considerably smaller than Khndzoresk, is called Lower Khndzoresk, or Nerkin Khndzoresk . Khndzoresk is widely famous for its canyon with picturesque rock formations and ancient cave settlement. The artificial caves, some of which are currently used as stables and warehouses, used to be inhabited till
990-484: A vote of 39 to 7, with 100 abstentions, reaffirming Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, expressing support for that country's internationally recognized borders and demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories there. The resolution was supported mainly by members of the OIC and GUAM , both of which Azerbaijan is a member, as well as other nations facing breakaway regions. The resolution
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#17327934480991080-615: Is as follows: The climate in the community is warm, relatively humid, with mild winters. Annual precipitation is 450-700mm. Lachin Lachin ( Azerbaijani : Laçın , (listen) , lit. ' falcon ' ; Armenian : Բերձոր , romanized : Berdzor ) is a town in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Lachin District . It is located within the strategic Lachin corridor , which linked
1170-470: Is necessary to proceed from international law". Meanwhile, on 10 June 2007 after US-Azerbaijani security consultations in Washington D.C., with Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov , Deputy Assistant Secretary of US Department of State, US Co-Chairman of OSCE Minsk group Matthew Bryza in a joint press conference announced: "In the circles of international law there is no universal formula for
1260-778: Is not recognized as an independent and sovereign state by any of their three countries, nor by any other country, including Armenia. The Co-Chairs consider that this procedure should not preempt the determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the broader framework of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict". In January 2016, the PACE adopted the Resolution #2085 entitled "Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water" which stated that "the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh and other adjacent areas of Azerbaijan creates similar humanitarian and environmental problems for
1350-511: Is only part of a general declaratory statement about the nature of the Soviet federation: “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is an integral, federal, multi-national state formed on the principle of socialist federalism as a result of the free self-determination of nations and the voluntary association of equal Soviet Socialist Republics. The USSR embodies the state unity of the Soviet people and draws all its nations and nationalities together for
1440-412: Is ready to recognize the region as part of Azerbaijan, causing outrage across various sectors of Nagorno-Karabakh, including in its government . The sovereign status of the Republic of Artsakh is not recognized by any United Nations member state (including Armenia), but has been recognized by Transnistria , Abkhazia and South Ossetia ; Transnistria is not recognized by any UN member state, while
1530-857: The Australian state of New South Wales recognized Nagorno-Karabakh however, the Australian foreign minister reaffirmed in November 2015 that the federal government of the Commonwealth of Australia does not, and supports Azerbaijan's claim to the state. In 2017, The Australian Greens announced that they recognize the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). In October 2020, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly recognized Artsakh. On 9 November 2020,
1620-715: The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , a conflict arose between local Armenians who sought to have Nagorno-Karabakh join Armenia and local Azerbaijanis who opposed this. The conflict soon escalated into ethnic cleansing and open warfare in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War , as a result of which the region came under the control of an Armenia-allied de facto state ,
1710-471: The European Court of Human Rights decided that "the Republic of Armenia, from the early days of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has had a significant and decisive influence over the 'NKR', [ Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ] that the two entities are highly integrated in virtually all important matters and that this situation persists to this day." According to Human Rights Watch , "from the beginning of
1800-569: The First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1990–1994). During May 1992, an Armenian offensive captured the town; as a result, Lachin became a strategic link between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region -the Lachin corridor . The disfigured bodies of Armenian civilians killed by Azerbaijani soldiers in 1992 were discovered near Lachin on May 28, 1993. The civilians had attempted to flee Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and were reportedly massacred by
1890-716: The French National Assembly on 14 October 2020. On 6 November 2020, the Assembly of Corsica adopted a resolution on the recognition of the Artsakh Republic. On 18 November 2020, the Council of Paris , the legislative body governing Paris , recognized the independence of Artsakh and called on the French government to follow. On 21 November 2020, the city council of Saint-Étienne recognized
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#17327934480991980-550: The Republic of Artsakh . The surrounding regions of Azerbaijan were occupied by the self-declared republic under the justification of a "security belt," which was intended to be exchanged for recognition of autonomous status from Azerbaijan. Negotiations took place sporadically over the following decades, during which a ceasefire generally prevailed between Armenia/Artsakh and Azerbaijan (albeit without peacekeeping forces). Turkey and Azerbaijan closed their borders to Armenia and took other diplomatic steps to isolate it. Meanwhile,
2070-574: The Russian peacekeeping force following the ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war . Lachin and the villages of Sus and Zabukh were returned under Azerbaijan's control on 26 August 2022 as part of the 2020 ceasefire agreement. Cuneiform inscriptions dating back to the Urartian period have been found in the caves surrounding the town. The area was first mentioned by Armenian sources as Berdadzor ( Armenian : Բերդաձոր ),
2160-536: The Senate of Canada rejected a motion on "condemning the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression" and recognizing the independence of Artsakh. On 27 October 2020, the municipal district of Řeporyje , Czechia recognized the independence of Artsakh. Independence of Artsakh is recognized by the cities of Alfortville , Limonest , and Vienne . A Bill on recognition of the Artsakh Republic was submitted to
2250-494: The United Nations Security Council , OSCE Minsk Group , and other bodies made various statements and proposed dialogue initiatives, none of which were successful. In the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War , Azerbaijani forces, backed by Turkey, took control of the southern half of the region, including Shusha and Hadrut . Armenia was forced to concede additional territories to preserve Stepanakert and
2340-405: The ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war , the Lachin District was returned to Azerbaijan on 1 December. Today, Russian peacekeepers continue to secure safe passage through the Lachin corridor . However, the unclear and unstable situation in the region have caused many Armenians to evacuate from the city. The Artsakh mayor of Lachin, Narek Aleksanyan, first called on
2430-596: The "parliamentary elections" in Nagorno Karabakh will be held this Sunday. This event should not prejudice the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict". OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs stated that "Although the Co-Chairs understand the need for the de facto authorities in NK to try to organize democratically the public life of their population with such a procedure, they underscore again that Nagorno-Karabakh
2520-431: The 1950s. In the bottom of the gorge there is St. Hripsime church, dating back to the 17th century. On a spur beyond on the right side of the gorge there is Anapat (hermitage) with the tomb of Mkhitar Sparapet . The cave church of St. Tatevos can also be found nearby. About 90% of the population is engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. There is a small milk processing enterprise, employing 8 people. The community has
2610-456: The 1991–1994 armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a substantial part of the region's population was forced to flee their homes and are still living as displaced persons in those countries or as refugees abroad. This position was reiterated by Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 4 August 2004 with regard to the next elections, staged in the province, and by
2700-634: The Armenian Melik Husein Ali. According to the 1897 census , Khndzoresk—mentioned as Khinzirak ( Russian : Хинзиракъ )—had a population of 4,516, all Armenian Apostolics . The village had 2,295 men and 2,221 women. The National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia (ARMSTAT) reported its population as 2,260 in 2010, up from 1,992 at the 2001 census. In 2009, the population of Khndzoresk comprised 2256 people, of which 1126 were women and 1130 were men. There were 516 households in total. The population of Khndzoresk since 1831
2790-546: The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The Court confirmed that Armenia exercised effective control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories and thus had de facto jurisdiction over the district of Lachin. The Court also found that the denial by the Armenian government of access to the applicants’ homes constituted an unjustified interference with their right to respect for their private and family lives as well as their homes. Following
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2880-595: The Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. During the year incidents along the militarized line of contact separating the sides again resulted in numerous casualties on both sides". A background paper prepared by the Directorate General of Political Affairs of the Council of Europe for the seminar "Youth and Conflict Resolution" (Strasbourg, 31 March – 2 April 2003) states, "The Armenian side maintains that
2970-560: The British journalists that the looting was done because the Azerbaijanis had previously pillaged 23 villages. Among the Armenian looters there also were civilians from Stepanakert , which had been shelled by the Azerbaijanis for eight months and had been without power and water for several weeks. A Canadian journalist who visited the town a few months later noted that "the destruction is absolute. No building, no home, no school, not
3060-516: The Chair of the Council of Europe ’s Committee of Ministers on 12 July 2007 with regard to the presidential elections organised in Nagorno-Karabakh. On 21 May 2010 Catherine Ashton , High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , stated: "I would like to recall that the European Union does not recognise the constitutional and legal framework within which
3150-650: The Congress of the USSR People's Deputies. However, until the Soviet Union ceased to exist as international person, the mentioned Law was without legal effect, since no Union republic, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, had used the procedure for secession stipulated in it". The OSCE Minsk Group has allowed the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (referring to it as the "leadership of Nagorny Karabakh"), as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan, to participate in
3240-485: The French Government to recognize Artsakh. Between 17 and 21 December 2020, the commune of Issy-les-Moulineaux , the department of Hauts-de-Seine , and the cities of Sarcelles , Clamart , and Montpellier adopted resolutions calling for the recognition of Artsakh. Meanwhile, the city of Valence recognized Artsakh's independence. The City Hall of Sayaxché , Guatemala has officially recognized
3330-594: The Grey Wolves. Following the town's capture by Armenian forces, it was looted and burned. The mainly Azerbaijani population fled and became internally displaced people . British reporters witnessed looting and burning in Lachin, with trucks and cars piled high with looted furniture and household utensils moving to Armenia, and big convoys blocking the road. Looters took everything of value, including livestock, before setting houses on fire. An Armenian sergeant said to
3420-689: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Azerbaijan of ethnic discrimination of Armenians in violation of Azerbaijan's obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ( CERD ). According to " responsibility to protect " (R2P), member states of the United Nations are obliged to intervene in cases of serious human rights issues. R2P is associated with
3510-599: The Kalbajar district had been at the centre of Armenian demands during the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks with Azerbaijan. On 16 June 2015 the European Court of Human Rights passed a judgement in the case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia , which concerned the complaints by six Azerbaijani ethnically- Kurdish refugees that they were unable to return to their homes and property in the district of Lachin, in Azerbaijan, from where they had been forced to flee in 1992 during
3600-493: The Karabakh conflict, Armenia provided aid, weapons, and volunteers. Armenian involvement in Karabakh escalated after a December 1993 Azerbaijani offensive. The Republic of Armenia began sending conscripts and regular Army and Interior Ministry troops to fight in Karabakh." However, the government of Armenia has never formally recognized the sovereignty of Artsakh and since 2022, its leadership has made statements suggesting it
3690-405: The Lachin corridor. In May 2024, satellite imagery showed that the Armenian church of St. Ascension had been completely demolished by the Azerbaijani government, with no trace of it left. The town is scenically built on the side of a mountain on the left bank of the river Hakari . As of 2015, the population is mainly engaged in different state institutions. The town has a municipal building,
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3780-571: The N-K independence referendum was conducted in accordance with the USSR law on the 'Procedure for Solving Issues of Secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR' of 3 April 1990. Article 3 of this law provided autonomous regions within the Soviet republics with the right to determine independently, by referendum, whether they wished to remain within the USSR or join the republic seceding from the USSR. It would however seem that according to this law N-K would have
3870-609: The Republic apply on the territory of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, until the NKR Constitution and laws are adopted." However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan states that "according to this Law, in a Union republic containing autonomous republics, autonomous provinces and autonomous regions, the referendum had to be held separately in each autonomous unit, the people of which retained
3960-689: The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh may also be eligible for enacting remedial secession due to the extreme anti-Armenianism within Azerbaijan . Geoffrey Robertson, first president of the UN's War Crimes Court for Sierra Leone, listed the pogroms of Sumgait (1988) and Baku (1990), Operation Ring (1991), the Siege of Stepanakert (1991), and the Blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh as incidents of "excessive discrimination and systematic violations" which justified remedial secession for Nagorno-Karabakh. In October 2012,
4050-646: The UN Charter in order to provide the necessary security guarantees in a period of transition, which will ensure the security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and allow the displaced persons to return to their homes and further conflicts caused by homelessness to be prevented; and states that the EU believes that the position according to which Nagorno-Karabakh includes all occupied Azerbaijani lands surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh should rapidly be abandoned. It also notes "that an interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh could offer
4140-645: The UN Security Council Resolutions (822, 853, 874, and 884) is called into question.The language of these four Resolutions indicates that they are "not mere recommendations or exhortations, but legally binding decisions." According to a report prepared by British parliamentarian and rapporteur David Atkinson , presented to Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), "the borders of Azerbaijan were internationally recognised at
4230-529: The authorities given to Republics by the USSR Constitution and legislation and reserves the right to decide independently the issue of its state-legal status based on political consultations and negotiations with the leadership of Union and Republics." The Declaration further states that "the USSR Constitution and legislation, as well as other laws currently in force, which do not contradict the goals and principles of this Declaration and peculiarities of
4320-437: The beginning of the 20th century the community had 8,300 inhabitants (1,800 households). In 1913 there were 27 shops, 3 dye-houses, tanneries, 7 schools. The village is famous for taking part in the liberation movement of David Bek . The fortress of Khndzoresk served as a military base for Mkhitar Sparapet in 1728–1730. In 1735 the village was visited by Catholicos (Head of Armenian Apostolic Church ) Abraham Kretatsi who gave
4410-495: The choice of two options – to remain within the USSR or to join independent Azerbaijan; N-K independence does not seem possible". According to the article in "The Journal of Conflict Resolution", the Armenian side "justified its claim by Article 70 of the Soviet Constitution, which affirms the right to self-determination of the peoples of the USSR. In fact, this recognition of the principle of self-determination
4500-514: The citizens of Azerbaijan living in the Lower Karabakh valley". The resolution also requested "the immediate withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the region" and "the Armenian authorities to cease using water resources as tools of political influence or an instrument of pressure". The European Union declared that "The European Union confirms its support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and recalls that it does not recognise
4590-426: The city by attracting ethnic Armenians from Armenia and Lebanon . According to journalist Onnik Krikorian, although the official statistics claimed that the number of Armenian residents in Lachin was 2200, the actual figure was around fifty per cent less. While some settlers were refugees from Azerbaijan and Karabakh, as well as from the diaspora, Krikorian wrote that most were poor families from Armenia, attracted by
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#17327934480994680-499: The city of Willoughby recognized the independence of Artsakh. In February 2021, the state of South Australia recognized the independence of Artsakh. Following the outbreak of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war , Senator Leo Housakos called for a motion for Canada to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country. On 5 November 2020, the city of Laval in Quebec recognized the independence of Artsakh. On 8 December 2020,
4770-471: The ethnic Armenian population of the town to evacuate. However, later Aleksanyan stated that the agreement had been changed and that Lachin, Sus , and Zabukh which are located inside the Lachin corridor would not be handed over to Azerbaijan, urging the Armenian population to stay in their homes. Despite Aleksanyan's calls, the vast majority of Armenians in Lachin, as well as Lebanese-Armenians in Zabukh fled
4860-629: The functioning of Nagorno-Karabakh government in exile in Armenia. Virtually all of the Karabakhi Armenian population fled to Armenia via the newly-reopened Lachin Corridor. Despite being offered Azerbaijani citizenship, Karabakh's Armenian residents did not trust Azerbaijan's guarantees of security due to the country's history of human rights abuses , Armenophobia , and lack of rights to ethnic minorities . The Republic of Artsakh
4950-682: The head of the executive power of Shusha region. At a 2007 press conference in Yerevan , Yuri Merzlyakov , the OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-Chair stated, "At the press conference in Baku, I underlined that Nagorno Karabakh was a part of Azerbaijani SSR and not of Azerbaijan. I perfectly know that till 1917 Nagorno Karabakh was a part of the Russian Empire. The history is necessary in order to settle conflicts, but it
5040-673: The independence of Artsakh, while on the same date, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis called for the French government to recognize Artsakh. On 24 November 2020, the city of Décines-Charpieu and the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole both called for the recognition of Artsakh by the French government. On 25 November 2020, the French Senate adopted a resolution calling for recognition of the independence of Artsakh. However, following
5130-461: The independence of Nagorno Karabakh. The European Union cannot consider legitimate the 'presidential elections' that were scheduled to take place on 11 August 2002 in Nagorno Karabakh". The European Union reiterated this position with regard to the presidential elections, held in the region in 2007. The US Department of State 's annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2006, released on 6 March 2007 stated that "Armenia continues to occupy
5220-420: The indigenous Armenian population, both as an internationally recognized right and as a form of genocide prevention. According to the principle of remedial secession, a group of people can unilaterally secede in order to protect themselves from the parent state's oppressive regime, a principal enacted by Kosovo to support its independence from Serbia . Various politicians and political analysts have argued that
5310-447: The latter two have international recognition from several UN member states . Armenia is currently in an ongoing negotiation with Artsakh, where the end goal is either Artsakh independence recognition or Artsakh integration with Armenia, whatever the people of Artsakh would prefer. Three UN Security Council Resolutions ( 853 , 874 , and 884 ) and United Nations General Assembly resolutions 49/13 and 57/298 refer to Nagorno-Karabakh as
5400-518: The majority of the Armenian population living in Karabakh today is ready to accept Azerbaijani citizenship. It's just that these leeches, these wild animals, the separatists [referring to Artsakh government officials] don't allow it." Despite being offered Azerbaijani citizenship, Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh do not trust Azerbaijan's guarantees of security due to the country's history of human rights abuses , Armenophobia , and lack of rights to ethnic minorities . In its attempt to isolate
5490-739: The northern half of the Republic of Artsakh under local Armenian control, protected by Russian peacekeepers. The political status of this reduced region was not specified in the ceasefire agreement . In the wake of a tightened blockade by Azerbaijan, in which the Lachin Corridor was closed, and subsequent Azerbaijani offensive on 19 September 2023, the Artsakh government surrendered and voted to disband itself, effective 1 January 2024, although it later annulled this decree in exile for being unconstitutional. But Armenia's prime-minister recognized Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Karabakh, and rejected
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#17327934480995580-400: The notion of "remedial secession," the justification for a minority population seceding from a country if it faces total annihilation within that country's borders. Azerbaijan does not officially recognize the Republic of Artsakh; however, in a 2016 interview, current Azerbaijani President Aliyev offered a status of "an autonomous republic" to Nagorno-Karabakh, if Armenian troops withdraw from
5670-843: The occupation of foreign territory by a member state constitutes a grave violation of that state’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe and reaffirms the right of displaced persons from the area of conflict to return to their homes safely and with dignity." Recalling the Resolutions 822 , 853 , 874 , and 884 (all 1993) of the UN Security Council, PACE urged "the parties concerned to comply with them, in particular by refraining from any armed hostilities and by withdrawing military forces from any occupied territories." The resolution also called on "the Government of Azerbaijan to establish contact, without preconditions, with
5760-409: The peace process as "parties to the conflict," and the Azerbaijani community of the region – as an "interested party". The Chairman of the CSCE Minsk Conference mentioned that "the terms 'party to the conflict' and 'leadership of Nagorny Karabakh' do not imply recognition of any diplomatic or political status under domestic or international law". The Azerbaijani community is led by Tural Ganjaliyev ,
5850-586: The political representatives of both communities from the Nagorno-Karabakh region regarding the future status of the region." The Council of Europe called on the Nagorno-Karabakh de facto authorities to refrain from staging one-sided "local self-government elections" in Nagorno-Karabakh. "These so-called 'elections' cannot be legitimate," stressed Council of Europe Committee of Ministers' Chairman and Liechtenstein Foreign Minister Ernst Walch , Parliamentary Assembly President Lord Russell-Johnston and Secretary General Walter Schwimmer . They recalled that following
5940-426: The presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group's Co-Chair countries, France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America made a joint statement, reaffirming their "commitment to support the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict". Various political analysts and international observers have emphasized self-determination for
6030-416: The principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination of nations;" On 15 November 2017, the European Parliament adopted a resolution "reaffirming its support to the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs' efforts to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to their 2009 Basic Principles, which include territorial integrity, self-determination and the non-use of force". On 26 June 2010,
6120-416: The promise of land, livestock and social benefits that averaged 4,000 Armenian drams (about ten US dollars) per child. Krikorian also wrote that the Armenian population was leaving the region due to decreased government funding and the uncertainty of region's status. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs had noted that "Lachin has been treated as a separate case in previous negotiations." The Lachin corridor and
6210-418: The purpose of jointly building communism.” There is no mechanism, other than the right of the union republics to secede (Article 72 of the constitution), through which to express the right of self-determination". The actual declaration of establishment of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic , issued on 2 September 1991, states that the republic is proclaimed pursuant to the USSR law of secession, and that it "enjoys
6300-411: The region of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia . The town was occupied by Armenian forces in 1992, during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War , and its local Azerbaijani and Kurdish population was expelled, while Armenians settled in. The town came under the de facto control of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh , administered as part of its Kashatagh Province . It came under the supervision of
6390-578: The region would receive “the highest [political] autonomy in the world” but after Azerbaijan's victory in the 2020 war, he and other Azerbaijan officials have completely rescinded the offer. Azerbaijani officials deny that the conflict persists, claiming that the entity of Nagorno-Karabakh no longer exists and have threatened military action if the Artsakh government does not disband. Azerbaijani President Aliyev has said that "Armenians living in Karabakh must either accept Azerbaijani citizenship or look for another place to live" and that "I am sure that
6480-490: The region, the Azerbaijani government blacklists individuals from humanitarian organizations and journalists who work in Artsakh. As a result of this, the only international organizations who work within Artsakh are HALO and the ICRC . The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Reporters Without Borders have called on Azerbaijan to allow international organizations, including United Nations agencies, to access
6570-535: The region. On 20 May 2010, the European Parliament adopted a resolution "on the need for an EU strategy for the South Caucasus ", which states that EU must pursue a strategy to promote stability, prosperity and conflict resolution in the South Caucasus. The resolution "calls on the parties to intensify their peace talk efforts for the purpose of a settlement in the coming months, to show
6660-709: The region. Azerbaijani MP Zahid Oruj , the chairman of the Center for Social Research, which is linked to the Azerbaijani government, denied that the Lachin District would not be handed over in its entirety. On December 1, Azerbaijani forces, with tanks and a column of trucks, entered the district, and the Azerbaijani MoD released footage from the Lachin district. On December 3, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence released video footage from
6750-539: The resolution adopted by France's Senate, a French Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated “France does not recognize the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.” On 1 December 2020, the Asnières-sur-Seine and Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur municipal council's called on the French Government to recognize Artsakh. On 3 December 2020, the National Assembly of France adopted a resolution urging
6840-400: The right to decide independently the question of staying in the USSR or in the seceding Union republic, as well as to raise the question of their own state-legal status. It is important to emphasize that the secession of a Union republic from the USSR could be regarded valid only after the fulfillment of complicated and multi-staged procedure and, finally, the adoption of the relevant decision by
6930-485: The road around Lachin, while Armenia did not yet. On 2 August, the local Armenian authorities reported that the Azerbaijani side had conveyed to them a demand to organise communication with Armenia along a different route, bypassing the existing one. Following the renewed clashes around Lachin , Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, stated that Azerbaijan's demand for the Lachin corridor
7020-623: The supremacy of territorial integrity over the right of self-determination of people." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in March 2023 that competing principles of territorial integrity and self-determination are "equally applicable" in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Armenian-Azerbaijan border crisis . On 14 March 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution by
7110-607: The surrounding regions. This was the first time that an Azerbaijani leader had used the word "republic" to refer to the Armenian-controlled enclave. The U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group praised these remarks as move to open "discussions on status." However, since the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War , Azerbaijan no longer promises any special status or autonomy to ethnic Armenians who live in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev previously said
7200-633: The territory of another "violates the fundamental principles and objectives of the Eastern Partnership and that the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should comply with UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of 1993 and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Basic Principles, enshrined in the L’Aquila joint statement of 10 July 2009". This same document also states that "Parliament fully subscribes to
7290-432: The time of the country being recognised as independent state in 1991," and "the territory of Azerbaijan included the Nagorno-Karabakh region." The Resolution #1416, adopted by PACE in 2005, stated that "Considerable parts of the territory of Azerbaijan are still occupied by Armenian forces, and separatist forces are still in control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region." The resolution further stated: "The Assembly reiterates that
7380-652: The town Berdzor was mentioned as being a part of the Artsakh province within the domain of the Armenian Bagratid Kingdom . Jalal al-Din Mangburni 's private secretary Shihab ad-Din an-Nasawi referred to the settlement as both Berdadzor and a new name, Kaladara . Berdzor had its own local Meliks during the 15th-17th centuries and fell under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Melikdom of Kashatagh . The Armenian settlement of Berdzor
7470-458: The town of Lachin. Following the ceasefire, only around 200 Armenians remained in the Lachin corridor , with 100–120 of them being in Lachin. According to the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev , a new corridor was going to be built in the region as the Lachin corridor passes through the city of Lachin, and when this corridor is ready, the city will be returned to the Azerbaijani administration. In August 2022, Azerbaijan built its part of
7560-413: Was actively underway and would be completed the spring of 2023. On 5 August, local Armenian authorities told the residents of Lachin, as well as Zabukh and Sus , to leave their homes by 25 August, after which the towns would be handed over to Azerbaijan. Some of the Armenian inhabitants burned their houses down. As of 26 August, Azerbaijan regained control of the town and the villages Sus and Zabukh in
7650-410: Was considering unilaterally recognizing the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. Responding to instances where Armenian farmers in Nagorno-Karabakh were killed or shot by Azerbaijani forces, Pashinyan tweeted “Azerbaijan calls Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh ‘our citizens’ and, at the same time, shoots at them while they are doing agricultural work." In September 2021, Armenia submitted a complaint to
7740-462: Was eventually abandoned. Following the displacement of the Armenian population, the area was then repopulated with Kurdish tribes . The modern settlement was built using the stones from the ancient Armenian settlement. The town was formerly also known as Abdallar , named after the Turkic Abdal tribe . In 1914, Abdallar was a small relatively insignificant village of about 124 Tatars. It
7830-414: Was granted town status in 1923 and then renamed Lachin (a Turkic first name meaning falcon ) in 1926. In the early 1920s, Vladimir Lenin 's letter to Nariman Narimanov "had implied that Lachin was to be included in Azerbaijan, but the authorities in Baku and Yerevan were given promises that were inevitably contradictory." The town and hinterland of Lachin was the location of severe fighting during
7920-406: Was never recognized by any UN member state, including Armenia. For 30 years, international mediators and human rights organizations referred to the right of self-determination for the Armenian population. Following the second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, Azerbaijan refused any special status or autonomy to its ethnically Armenian residents. In the 2005 case of Chiragov and others v. Armenia ,
8010-403: Was opposed by all three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Armenia does not officially recognize the sovereign status of Artsakh. Armenia's government has stated that it would unilaterally recognize Artsakh only as an option of last resort to be used only if Azerbaijan resorted to military activity. In 2010, President Armen Sarkissian said "We wanted for Artsakh’s independence to be recognized as
8100-481: Was unlawful, since the Armenian side has not yet agreed to any plan for the construction of a new road. Azerbaijan accused Armenia of delaying the construction of its part of the road, while the part for which Azerbaijan was responsible had already been built. On 4 August, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, Gnel Sanosyan, stated that the construction of an alternative road to Lachin
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