The Nagorno Karabakh Conflict. Causes of the conflict and obstacles to conflict resolution. Item Type Thesis Authors Nikkar-Esfahani, Hamidreza Rights <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by- nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. Download date 27/09/2021 12:21:20 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5650 University of Bradford eThesis This thesis is hosted in Bradford Scholars – The University of Bradford Open Access repository. Visit the repository for full metadata or to contact the repository team © University of Bradford. This work is licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. The Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Causes of the conflict and obstacles to conflict resolution Hamidreza Nikkar-Esfahani Department of Peace Studies University of Bradford Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2009 Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments: ...................................................................................................... vii Common Abbreviations ............................................................................................. viii Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Context ....................................................................................................... 15 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 15 Natural Geography ................................................................................................... 16 Political Geography ................................................................................................. 20 Resources of Economy ............................................................................................ 23 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 2: Modern History of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict .................................. 27 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 27 From the Collapse of the Soviet Union to the Present ......................................... 27 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 3: The Issues and Positions of the Conflicting Parties ................................... 47 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 47 Policies of the Conflicting Parties............................................................................ 48 Armenia................................................................................................................ 48 Azerbaijan ............................................................................................................ 50 Nagorno Karabakh ............................................................................................... 53 Factors Shaping Azerbaijan’s Policy ....................................................................... 54 Factors Shaping Armenia’s Policy........................................................................... 58 Factors Shaping the Policy of the Proclaimed Republic of Nagorno Karabakh .. 64 The Position of the Parties over the Disputed Issues ............................................... 67 The Occupied Territories ..................................................................................... 67 Lachin .................................................................................................................. 69 Shusha .................................................................................................................. 71 Refugees ............................................................................................................... 73 Security ................................................................................................................ 75 Legal-Political Status of Nagorno Karabakh ........................................................... 77 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 4: Nagorno Karabakh Geo-Politics: Interests and Politics of Outsiders ........ 92 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 92 The Russian Federation............................................................................................ 95 Strategic and Security Considerations ................................................................. 99 Economic Considerations .................................................................................. 100 The Caucasus Transportation Role for Russia ................................................... 100 Russians’ Racial Ties in the Region .................................................................. 100 To Fill the Power Vacuum ................................................................................. 101 Russia’s Position regarding the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict ............................ 104 Russia’s Position regarding the Republic of Armenia ....................................... 106 ii Russia’s Position over the Republic of Azerbaijan ............................................ 109 Russian Proposals concerning the Nagorno Karabakh conflcit ......................... 118 The Islamic Republic of Iran ................................................................................. 118 Iranian Goals and Interest in the Caucasus ........................................................ 122 Iran’s Security Goals in the Region ................................................................... 124 Iran’s Economic Goals in the Region ................................................................ 126 Iran’s Cultural Goals in the Region ................................................................... 127 Iran’s Political Goals in the Region ................................................................... 127 Iran’s Position regarding the Conflicting Parties ............................................... 128 Iran’s Position regarding the Republic of Armenia ........................................... 131 Iran’s Position regarding the Republic of Azerbaijan ........................................ 134 Iranian Strategy and the Interests of other Regional & Non-regional Powers .. 139 The Republic of Turkey ......................................................................................... 141 Turkey’s Goals and Interests in Central Asia & the Caucasus .......................... 144 Turkey’s Efforts to Influence the Region .......................................................... 146 Turkey’s Position regarding Both Parties in the NK Conflict ........................... 150 Turkey’s Position Concerning the Republic of Azerbaijan ............................... 151 Turkey’s Position Regarding the Republic of Armenia ..................................... 154 Turkey’s Overall Strategy over Azerbaijan, Armenia & NK ............................ 158 Turkey’s Strategy in Opposition to the Interests of other Outsiders and its Effect on the Conflict.................................................................................................... 160 Turkey’s Proposals for the Settlement of the NK Conflict ................................ 161 The United States of America ................................................................................ 162 The European Union .............................................................................................. 167 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 172 Chaper 5: Early Mediations and Solutions ................................................................ 175 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 175 Mediation by the Russian Federation and CIS ...................................................... 179 Russia: The First Mediator and the Most Important Player ............................... 179 Evaluating Russia’s Mediating Conduct ................................................................ 186 Mediation by the Islamic Republic of Iran ............................................................ 190 Periodic Shuttling of the Mediating Delegation to the Region .............................. 195 Aspects of Iran's Proposals to the Conflict Parties ............................................ 196 Temporary Ceasefire .............................................................................................. 197 Tehran Summit................................................................................................... 198 Iran's Mediation and Other Players’ Reactions .................................................