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From Frozen Conflicts to Unrecognized Republics: the De Facto States in the Emergent Region of the Post-Soviet States of the South Caucasus”

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From Frozen Conflicts to Unrecognized Republics: the De Facto States in the Emergent Region of the Post-Soviet States of the South Caucasus” “From Frozen Conflicts to Unrecognized Republics: The de facto States in the Emergent Region of the Post-Soviet States of the South Caucasus” A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy by Ara Ghazarians In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2007 Dissertation Committee Dr. Andrew C. Hess, Chair Dr. Jeswald W. Salacuse Dr. Gerard J. Libaridian UMI Number: 3390148 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI 3390148 Copyright 2010 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This edition of the work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 ii Ara Ghazarians 76 Cary Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421-7727 Tel/Fax: 781-863-6273 E-mail: [email protected] EDUCATION 1995-2000 Northeastern University Boston, MA Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): Department of Sociology/Anthropology Thesis: “The Rise of Ethnonationalism in the Soviet Union: A Comparative Study with a Special Reference to Armenia 1945-1989” 1996-1998 The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University Medford, MA Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (M.A.L.D.) 1. “Comparative Legal System: Judicial System in Pre- and Post-Revolutionary Iran: From Napoleonic Code to Islamic Jurisprudence” 2. “Revenge of the Past: The Failed Return of Islamism to Turkey?” 1978-1981 Northeastern University Master of Arts (M.A.) in Sociology: Concentration areas. Race and Ethnic relations, Religion and Urban Sociology 1974-1977 National University of Iran Tehran, Iran Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology: Concentration areas, Testing and Measurement, Clinical and Social Psychology. EXPERIENCE 1997-present Armenian Cultural Foundation Arlington, MA Curator: Library-Museum and Archives 2002-present Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association, Inc. Cambridge, MA Program Manager: Community Connections Project 1984-1998 Emerson College Boston, MA Lecturer: Department of Humanities and Social Science 1982-1995 Northeastern University Boston, MA Lecturer in Sociology: University-College, Weymouth, Burlington, Dedham Courses Taught: Introductory Sociology 1993-1994 Harvard University: Widener Library Cambridge, MA Armenian Language Specialist: Middle Eastern Division 1987-1991 Armenian Review, Inc. Watertown, MA Manager & Editorial Assistant 1989-1990 Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Research and Documentation Cambridge, MA iii Manager, Director of Resource PUBLICATIONS Edited Works • Hakob Karapents, Mtorumner: A Collection of Articles. Arlingrton, 2008. • Hakob Karapents, The Widening Circle and Other Early Short Stories. Arlington, 2007. • Jakob Künzler, In the Land of Blood and Tears: Mesopotamian during the World War (1914- 1918). Arlington, 2007. • Collections of the Armenian Cultural Foundation I: Letters and Autographs. Arlington, 2007. (Co-edited with Robert Mirak). • Heinrich Vierbücher, Armenia 1915. Arlington, 2006. • Mikayel Varandian, Murad of Sepastia. Arlington, 2006. • Foundation Papers. Arlington, 2004. • Bibliography of Armenian Periodicals, Monographic Series, and Reference Materials. Arlington, 2000. Translations • Mikaelian, V. and L. Khurshudian. “Several Issues Concerning the History of Mountainous Karabagh,” Armenian Review 43 nos. 2/3 (Summer/Autumn 1990): 51-65. • Bayburdian, Vahan. International Trade and the Armenian Merchants in the Seventeenth Century. New Delhi, India: Sterling Publishers Private Ltd., 2004. Bibliographic Work • “A Bibliography of the Works of Sirarpie Der Nersessian,” Armenian Review 43, no. 4 (Winter 1990): 7-19. • Hakob Karapents: Bibliography. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blue Crane Books, 1999. (Bilingual). • Chukaszian, Levon. “Sirarpie Der Nersessian: Her Life and Work, Armenian Review 43, no. 4 (Winter 1990): 1-5. • ________. “Eleventh Century Ani School of Miniature,” Armenian Review 43, no. 4 (1990): 21-39. • Vem (1933-1939): Bibliographic Index (forthcoming, October 2010). • Armenian Review (1948-1993): Bibliographic Index.(forthcoming, November, 2009). • Armenian Affairs, Armenian Quarterly, Armenia: Bibliographic Index. (forthcoming, August 2010). Editorial Research • Libiaridian, Gerard. J. ed., The Karabakh File. Zoryan Institute: Cambridge, 1988. • Voskerichian, Taline. ed., Armenian Update. A bi-monthly of News, Analysis, and Commentaries, 1989-1990. LANGUAGES Fluent in English, Farsi (Persian) and Armenian (Western and Eastern). Intermediate knowledge of Dari and German. iv Abstract The end of the Cold War in 1989, followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, led to birth of a number of new countries. These historic changes amounted to political tectonic shifts of global scale. In the aftermath of these drastic transformations, the newly independent republics, in the periphery of the former Soviet Union, in particular, faced new challenges, both systemic and organic. The euphoria generated among millions from the Balkans to the vast expanses of Central Asia was soon marred with striking rise of resurgent ethnic nationalism and mobilization worldwide. Perhaps nowhere the threat of a number of ethnonational conflicts has been as serious as those in the South Caucasus in the periphery of the former Soviet Union. The intent of this study is to present an argument that the ethnonational conflicts within an ethnically defined territory will under certain political conditions evolve into statehood. The three cases selected for this study, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia in Georgia and Azerbaijan, in existence for over a decade, have been transformed into “frozen” conflicts. The conflict management and resolution, plagues mainly by the ever-changing dynamics of an emerging new sub-region of the South Caucasus, inadvertently contributed to the strengthening and solidification of the de facto states of Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia. Drastic changes on the ground have forged a new identity and recast a new brand of nationalism and national identity. These developments and advances, it is argued in this study that are undeniable realities and irreversible processes, which if successful might serve as models for other similar ethnonational and ethno-territorial cases in other parts of the world with unforeseeable consequences. v To my aunts Zarik and late Nvart Ghazarians. Without their selfless devotion, dedication, support, and endless love my academic accomplishments would not have been possible. vi Acknowledgments I would like to thank my dissertation committee members for their time, thoughtful comments and guidance throughout the course of this study. Also, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Jenifer Burckett-Picker, Director of the PhD Program and Summer Program for helping me navigate through various phases of the dissertation process. Last, but not least my deep gratitude to my wife and children for their unqualified love, understanding, and patience. vii Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1 I. The Study: Concepts, Hypothesis and Methodology……………………………………….....8 A. Purpose………………………………………………………………………………...8 B. Scope of the Problem and Its ignificance…………………………………………......10 C. Choice of the de facto tates...........................................................................................13 1. Impact on the Titular States 2. Subjects of International Law 3. Emergent Regions 4. The Soviet Legacy D. Research Questions sked..............................................................................................15 1. History and Ethnic Conflicts 2. Conflict Resolution and Mediation Efforts 3. De Facto States and International Community E.Hypothesis…………………………………………………………………………….17 F. Study Design and Methodology………………………………………………19 1. Historical-Chronological 2. Contextual G. Subjects and Criteria of Sources……………………………………………………..21 1. Subjects 2. Sources 3. Structure of the Study II. Analytical Definitions and Operationalization of the Terms and Concepts………………….28 A. “Frozen” Conflicts Nagorno-Karabakh B. The State and De facto States………………………………………………………..34 C. Newly Emergent Regions 1. The Black Sea Region 2. The Caspian Sea Region 3. The South Caucasus III. Ethnonational Conflicts on the World Stage……..……………………………………………………………………………………….57 A. Pre- and Post-Cold War Europe and Soviet Union……………………………………………………………………………………………..62 B. The Nationalities from Independence to Soviet Colonialism…...…………………...65 1. Concepts and Ideology 2. The Soviet Nationalities Policies a. Formative Years b. Post-Lenin Period to Gorbachev viii 3. The Rights to Self-Determination and Secession under the Soviet Rule 4. Ethnic Movements and Conflicts, and the Disintegration of the USSR 5. Ethnic Conflicts in the Caucasus a. North Caucasus b. South Caucasus IV. Ethnonational Conflicts in the South Caucasus……………………………………………...82 A. Conflicts in the Post-Soviet Landscape: A General Overview………………............85 B. The South Caucasian Republics……………………………………………………...87 C. The Origins and Evolution of the Conflicts in the South Caucasus………………….88 D. Historical Context and Evolution…………………………………………….91 1. Ethnic Conflicts in Georgia a. South Ossetia b. Abkhazia 2. Ethnic Conflicts in Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh 3. An
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