Identity-Based Conflict: Nagorno-Karabakh Case Study Analysis

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, framing it as an identity-based dispute. It delves into the historical background, examining the roots of the conflict in the context of the Soviet Union's dissolution and the subsequent territorial and ethnic disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The essay explores the key events, including the war and the involvement of the Minsk Group. It examines the perspectives of the involved parties, the role of identity in fueling the conflict, and the challenges in achieving a peaceful resolution. The essay also discusses the historical context, including the Soviet era, the rise of nationalism, and the impact of external factors. It highlights the ongoing tensions, cease-fire violations, and the failure of mediation efforts, concluding with the need for a sustainable resolution to address the deep-seated issues. The essay draws on multiple sources to provide a nuanced understanding of this complex and enduring conflict.

Running Head: IDENTITY BASED CONFLICT
Identity-Based Conflict
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Background......................................................................................................................................3
Historical Perspective......................................................................................................................6
Personal Connection and Reflexivity..............................................................................................8
Comparisons with Israel- Palestine conflicts...................................................................................9
Antagonism....................................................................................................................................13
Resonance is the conflict between the two groups........................................................................14
Invention........................................................................................................................................15
Action in the context of the Conflict.............................................................................................16
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................17

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Introduction
The thirty-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is considered to be a unique conflict that
has transformed itself from a mere local conflict to a dominant local issue. It is said that the
Nagorno-Karabakh war has transformed the joyous city of 40,000 people possessing fancy
buildings and Soviet high-rises to a desert town where nearly sixty-thousands people lost their
lives. This conflict is a territorial and ethnic disagreement over Nagorno – Karabakh and seven
surrounding districts, which are de facto controlled by the self-declared Republic of Artsakh but
are internationally recognized as de jure part of Azerbaijan.
The conflict between the Nagorno and the Karabakhs is the type of the ethnic conflict that has
taken place between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the main dispute that has taken place between
the Nagorno and the Karabakhs that is the de jure part of the district of Azerbaijan. The main
background of this conflict is with the concept of the Perestroika and the associated dissolution
of the Soviet Union in 1989. Again in the year 2017, there was the public opinion that was raised
on both sides. In this context, there were several changes of the mutual concessions that have
been significant in reducing the level of the mutual concessions that will threaten the measures of
the internal stability and the survival possibility of the elites in the ruling position in that
particular region that was associated with a very low level of compromise (Cornell, 2017).
Over the past decades, there were repeated artillery shelling and the other minor skirmishes that
took place between the troops of Azerbaijan and Armenia that have caused huge lives. In April
2016 the region witnessed the intense form of fighting since the beginning of 1994 that produced
several hundred casualties. After the fighting period, there will be both the sides who will agree
on the cease-fire agreement.

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This problem of Nagorno-Karabakh has its roots in the year 1920 when the government
of soviet establishes the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. In this region, nearly sixty
percent of the population was ethnically Armenian surrounded by Azerbaijan. During Bolshevik
rule, the fighting was monitored; however, with the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the grip
was lost in the region. The legislature of the Nagorno-Karabakh approved a resolution in the year
1988 which states that they will join Armenia despite the proper location of the region lying
within borders of Azerbaijan.
Through the official breakdown of the soviet union in 1991, they changed their status
from the autonomous to independent region. The decision caused a war with roughly 30,000
causalities and thousands of refugees (Baumann et al. 2015). This region has recently gained
attention as the tension in the region has escalated after the violence of 2016. The effort put
forwarded by the Minsk Group to resolve the tension has failed. The Armenian and the
Azerbaijani forces are positioned close to each other and do not have any communication with
them; therefore, there is a high chance of intense escalation between them (Shiriyev 2017). In
2017 the president of both the groups that is Armenia and Azerbaijan held a meeting in Geneva
(Kopecek, Hoch and Baar 2016). Lead by the Minsk group a mediation talk was initiated on the
possible talk of the settlement. Hundreds of death have been caused in the territory due to the
minor skirmishes and artillery shelling between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops over the
years(Koehler and Zürcher 2018).
Background
The conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been going on for over three
decades now and the conflicts are regarding the border region named Nagorno-Karabakh that
exists between the above-mentioned countries. Both countries have engaged themselves in this

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conflict and it has resulted in the loss of property and human beings during these years. There
have been several situations when several parties have wanted to mediate the hostilities so both
countries come to a mutual (Baumann et al., 2015). The cease-fire violations have been done
various times in the region. It was in October in 2017 when the representatives of both the
countries met at Geneva when the Minsk group wanted to mediate between them. The Minsk
group was a part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). They
wanted to calm both the countries and come to a probable resolution between the countries.
It was in 1920 when the Soviet Government had established the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Around 95% of people in the region were Armenian by ethnicity. The Bolshevik rulers were able
to keep these conflicts under frequent checks but it was during the 1980s when the conflicts
came to the forefront publicly. The Soviet Union was on the verge of collapsing after the Cold
War and they lost their grip over both Armenia and Azerbaijan also (Baumann et al., 2015). The
ethnic people were Armenian but their geographical location existed within the borders of
Azerbaijan. The problems fueled from this perspective when the Nagorno-Karabakh legislation
went on to formulate the resolution that the majority of the region wanted to join Armenia. I
understand this was a valid claim for ethnic Armenian ethnic people but geographical boundaries
mattered also.
The Soviet Union was dissolved in the year 1991 when this autonomous region named
Nagorno-Karabakh was declared with complete independence. It was in 1993 when Azerbaijan
had been attacked by Armenia and they took around 20% of the territories in the country (Hirose
& Jasutis, 2014). The war began between the two countries as around 30000 people were
victimized in the list of casualties. None of the countries wanted to leave their positions as
thousands of people from both countries became refugees of war. Other European countries like

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Germany and Russia came to their aid as per the instructions of the United Nations. This conflict
between the two countries became a frozen conflict and the situation was left under a high and
dry situation. Both the countries had the anger and hatred against each other but the ceasefire
violations had been imposed on both the countries. The Minsk group was not able to provide a
proper solution to this problem at all. Many efforts have been done with the aims of negotiation
and mediation but all of them have gone in vain. I believe both the countries should have agreed
to these negotiations to establish peace and further socioeconomic growth.
In the year 1920s, the Soviet Government has established the autonomous region of Nagorno
Karabakh where most of the population will be ethnically Armenians within the region of
Azerbaijan. The influence of the Bolshevik rule the conflict and the fighting between the two
countries were effectively monitored. This period also saw the collapse and their associated grip
on both Azerbaijan and Armenia. From 1988 onwards, the legislature that has highlighted the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and its legislature that was passed within the borders of Azerbaijan.
By the beginning of 1993, Armenia has posed a control on the Nagorno Karabakh region that
occupied the rest of the parts of the surrounding territory.
Nagorno Karabakh has been declared as the frozen form of the conflict zone for more than a
decade but tensions have remained at a higher level since the time there have been breakdowns
in the talks that followed the violence in April 2016. At this period the Minsk Group was created
that has already failed to produce a significant solution and the resolution measure on the conflict
zone. The co-chairs in this respect will be responsible for arranging the various leaders between
the two countries to conduct the individual form of meetings. The group will be experiencing a
successful form of negotiation in the different cease-fire contexts of the different territorial
disputes that will prove to be the most intractable offer (Tokluoglu, 2018).

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Historical Perspective
During the Soviet Era, the Nagorno Karabakh region will be part of the Republic of Azerbaijan
who will have the majority of the population from Armenia. At the end of the era of the Soviet
region, the region will be characterized by the movement of the reunification of the Nagorno
Karabakh region by the policies of the measures of the perestroika and the other measures of
glasnost in the region. The area will be soon characterized by the flashpoint of the regional
conflict.
The collapse of the USSR in the year 1991 will be characterized by the war erupted situation
that will result in the various casualties of deaths and the various number of refugees on both
sides of the party. In the year 1994 the cease-fire caused by the Russian outbreaks that will
remain in place but will be hardly enforced. The various tensions along the line of the outbreak
of the ceasefire that has broken out between the Karabakh Armenians and the army of the
Azerbaijan army that will remain at a higher level.
Azerbaijan and the Armenian leaders met in the year 2019 in the World Economic Forum that
was held in Davos. Their discussion that was held in January was held in the absence of the
mediators after both the countries and their respective foreign ministers met in the city of Paris.
Their meetings however have a significant impact on the concrete form of measures that will
prepare them with the populations for the accomplishment of the peace strategy.
This group was formed in the year 1994 and three countries the USA, France, and Russia
were in charge of this group. This Minsk group had arranged for the individual leaders of both

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the countries and they also wanted to implement some mitigation policies. This group also held
some summits between the two countries (Hirose & Jasutis, 2014). The United Nations and other
powerful European nations wanted Armenia and Azerbaijan to establish peace. The issues of
cease-fire had been stopped but the conflicts over the territory remained almost similar. This
conflict could have been escalated if the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces could indulge
in further wars. The dreads of this kind of situation were still on since ethnic armed forces of
Armenia and Azerbaijan had been positioned very closely (Kopecek, Hoch & Baar, 2016). Apart
from the outside challenges, both these countries have external issues that could have led them to
launch the severe attacks on each other as well. I believe all these issues had caused several
issues in the society of overall Europe.
Further military conflicts between the two sides could cause in the neutralization of the
South Caucasus region. The exports of products like gas and oil could have been gone through
disruptions also. According to the statistics, Azerbaijan is the largest exporter of oil and gas up to
800,000 barrels every day. The continuation of this conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
would put all these processes in deep jeopardy. They have found their backups in other European
powers. Russia would defend Armenia where Turkey and Iran have promised to stay in favor of
Azerbaijan (Kopecek, Hoch & Baar, 2016). The historical records have revealed that Nagorno-
Karabakh conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia have destroyed the socioeconomic
backgrounds of Armenia. The liberal policies of Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s were very
weakening for the development of Armenia (Blank, 2015). It is because the Soviet Union's
economic condition was almost destroyed for the lack of proper steps.
The protests and strikes in both countries were very much problematic for the security of
the civilians (Pokalova, 2015). The cruel battles had been fought in the Caucasus region. Many

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causes have been found out and justifications of these issues are yet to be given. Several
problems are still very important in this region. Therefore, the countries must look for producing
some means that would provide resolutions in this long-running conflict (Geukjian, 2016). No
more symmetry exists between the military conflicts of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Nagorno – Karabakh conflict is
regarded as a unique conflict
that has been turned from an
insignificant local
conflict into an important
regional war. Of course, it
should be noted that although
the conflict has remained at
the regional level, it can be
turned into a global crisis. It
should be kept in mind that
the Russian
Federation is losing its
influence in the Caucasus

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region and the United States
of America is seeking to
reduce
the influence of Russia in the
Caucasus region. The
approach was taken by
western countries, the U.S.
and NATO (North
Atlantic Treaty Organization) is
to interfere and enter Russia’s
backyard exerting pressure on
the Russian Federation.
Accordingly, every change in
the structure of the region can
put the Caucasus region
available to U.S. and NATO
and can also strengthen the
stance of the U.S. and its

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regional allies i.e. Turkey and
Israel. Given the above issue,
the regional situation can lead
to weakening the status of
Russia and Iran in the region.
(Ahmadian, 201Since the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, one
of the unresolved post-Soviet conflict, is critical not only to the vital interests of
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh but also to regional stability and both the
political and security concerns of the Russian Federation, Turkey, Iran, the EU,
and the USA.
Personal Connection and Reflexivity
I decided to talk about this topic since it is very close to me as I belong to the Azerbaijan
and from Qubadli which is one of the seven surrounding districts. My paternal family belongs
from Qubadli and I need to make this problem highlighted through the research as although the
problem is crucial, it has not gained worldwide attention. The research paper focuses on the
unresolved issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh region besides finding the root cause of the problem
and tries to examine the problem to state a solution for the dispute.
From my childhood I would hear stories about how beautiful Qubadli was. How nature is
beautiful there. How my grandparents had their cows and goats in the garden. In 1993, when
Qubadli was occupied by Armenians my grandparents of father's side were running out of the
village in order not to be killed. Around that my father was in Moscow working but when he
heard the news that there might be the occupation in Qubadli he booked the ticket flew that night

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to Azerbaijan took his car and drove to Qubadli to take all his family. The only person who didn't
fit in the car, because of the many people in it, was my grandfather. He said that you guys go and
I will figure out something. So, my father drove to Azerbaijan with the rest of his family in the
car and was planning to come back to take grandfather. Suddenly, that night Armenians came
and my grandfather was just running in order not to be killed. However, they caught him and
around 5 days he was in the refuge and he escaped.
In this research paper A.R.I.A model will be used to explore how this long conflict can be
resolved so that international peace can be served. The research is important as this issue still
now is an unresolved post-soviet conflict. Not only are the varied interest of several communities
like Azerbaijan and Armenia is depended on the fate of the conflict but the regional stability as
well as political and security concerns of several global powers like Russia, Turkey and Iran are
involved with the issue. The issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh region is significant for the present
time as it has and can hamper civilian lives and can slow down the growth and development of
the region so a solution is urgently needed to resolve the conflict.
Comparisons with Israel- Palestine conflicts
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been long-standing and it can only be
matched with the conflicts between Israel and Palestine regarding its effectiveness and extent of
the casualties (Mortazavian & Ghiacy, 2017). Both these conflicts have resulted in the loss of life
for numerous people. The basic contrast between these two conflicts was the reason for these
conflicts. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan was due to ethnic issues. On the other
hand, the conflicts between Israel and Palestine occurred due to religious issues. Israel follows
Judaism and Palestine is the follower of Islam. Therefore, the problems between the two
countries were mainly the outcomes of the Islam-Judaism conflict (Geukjian, 2016). I disagree