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	'''Nagorno-Karabakh''' is a ] in the ] within the borders of ], located about 270 kilometres (170 miles) west of the Azerbaijani capital of ], and very close to the border with ].		'''Nagorno-Karabakh''' is a ] in the ] within the borders of ], located about 270 kilometres (170 miles) west of the Azerbaijani capital of ], and very close to the border with ].

	The predominantly ] region was ~~established~~ by the ] as the '''Nagorno-Karabakh ]''' ('''NKAO''') in the ] in ]. On ] ], as the ], a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighboring district of ] resulted in a ] from Azerbaijan as the '''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic''' ('''NKR'''). The NKR is '']'' ~~independent~~ ~~of Azerbaijan and has control over the majority of its claimed territory~~, ~~but~~ it ] by any ] or ], including Armenia, and the area claimed by the NKR has explicity been recognized as part of Azerbaijan in ] Security Resolutions.		The predominantly ] region was incorporated by the ] as the '''Nagorno-Karabakh ]''' ('''NKAO''') in the ] in ]. On ] ], as the ], a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighboring district of ] resulted in a ] from Azerbaijan as the '''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic''' ('''NKR'''). The NKR exists in a '']'' status only, as it ] by any ] or ], including Armenia, and the area claimed by the NKR has explicity been recognized as part of Azerbaijan in ] Security Resolutions.

	In the final years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the region became a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, culminating in the ]. Since the end of the war in ], most of Nagorno-Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan around it remain under ] control.		In the final years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the region became a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, culminating in the ]. Since the end of the war in ], most of Nagorno-Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan around it remain under ] control.

	Armenia and Azerbaijan have been holding peace talks mediated by the ], where, among other issues, the future status of the region is being discussed. <ref name=""></ref>		Armenia and Azerbaijan have been holding peace talks mediated by the ], where, among other issues, the future status of the region is being discussed. <ref name="">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/in_depth/newsid_4685000/4685287.stm Chapters from the Russian version of the book "Black Garden" (In Russi

	==Name==
	The region has names in several languages, all of which mean roughly the same thing. The word "Karabakh" originated from ] "kara" (meaning "black") and ] "bagh" (باغ) (meaning "garden"), literally "black garden." <ref name="bbc2005"></ref> The name first appears in ] and Persian sources in the 13th and 14th centuries <ref name="asev7">''Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia'', v. 7, p. 26, Yerevan 1981</ref>. The related term ''Karabagh'' is described by the ] as being used to denote a kind of patterned ] originally produced in the area, and is an acceptable alternate spelling of Karabakh.

	The names for the region in the various local languages all translate to "mountainous Karabakh" or "mountainous black garden":

	*]: '''Dağlıq Qarabağ''', or '''Yuxarı Qarabağ''' (meaning "upper Karabakh")
	*]: {{Hayeren\|Լեռնային Ղարաբաղ}}, ] ''Lernayin Gharabagh''
	*]: '''Нагорный Карабах''', ] ''Nagornyy Karabakh''

	It is often referred to by the ] living in the area as ''']''' (Armenian: {{Hayeren\|Արցախ}}; Azeri: Ərsak; Russian: Арцах), meaning "Woods of Aramanyak" ("Tsakh" is Armenian for Woods, "Ar" is abbreviation for Aramanyak). In Azerbaijani, ''Ərsak'' means Land ("Ər"/"Ar") of ]--an Iranian people related to ] who invaded the area in the 7th c BC. In Urartian inscriptions (9th - 7th cc BC), the name Urtekhini is used for the region.
	Ancient Greek sources called the area Orkhistene.

	==Politics==
	], 1997-present]] {{morepolitics\|country=Nagorno Karabakh}}
	The international community recognized both ethnic communities of Nagorno Karabakh as "interested parties" of the conflict. The Azerbaijani community is led by Nizami Bakhmanov, the head of the executive power of Shusha region. The Armenian community and current separatist authorities of Nagorno Karabakh is led by Arkady Ghoukasyan. Politics of Nagorno Karabakh takes place in a framework of a ] ] ], whereby the ] is both ] and ], and of a pluriform multi-party system. ] is exercised by the government. ] is vested in both the ] and the ]. The republic lies within the territory of Azerbaijan. Its independency and elections are not recognized by any single state in the world.

	==Geography==
	], in ], Nagorno-Karabakh.]]
	The region has a total area of 4,400 square kilometres (1,699 sq mi) and is surrounded entirely by the rest of Azerbaijan; its nearest point to Armenia is across the ], roughly 4 kilometers across. In ], it had a population of 192,000. The population at that time was mainly Armenian (76%) and ]s (23%), with ] and ] minorities. The capital is ] (known in Azerbaijan as Xankəndi, ''Khankendi''). Its other major city, today lying partially in ruins, is ] (]: '']'').

	The current borders of Nagorno-Karabakh, established in Soviet times, resemble a ] with the indentation on the east side. It has very tall mountain ridges along the northern edge and along the west, and the south is very mountainous. The part near the indentation of the kidney bean itself is a relatively flat valley, with the two edges of the bean, the provinces of ] and ], having flat lands as well. Other flatter valleys exist around the ], ], and the south. Much of Nagorno-Karabakh is ]ed, especially the mountains.

	==Divisions==
	[[Image:Nagorno-Karabakh regions named english.png\|right\|frame\|Map of the divisions of Nagorno-Karabakh and some nearby rayons of Azerbaijan. The borders and names used are those declared by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR).

	<table>
	<tr>
	<td width=33>
	<table><tr><td bgcolor=red height=4 width=25></td></tr></table>
	</td>
	<td>Self-proclaimed borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
	</td>
	</tr>
	</table>

	<table>
	<tr>
	<td width=33>
	<table><tr><td bgcolor=green height=18 width=25></td></tr></table>
	</td>
	<td>Former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO)
	</td>
	</tr>
	</table>

	<table>
	<tr>
	<td width=33>
	<table><tr><td bgcolor=#aa0066 height=18 width=25></td></tr></table>
	</td>
	<td>Shahumian Region, claimed by the NKR, currently under Azerbaijani control
	</td>
	</tr>
	</table>

	<table>
	<tr>
	<td width=33>
	<table><tr><td bgcolor=pink height=18 width=25></td></tr></table>
	</td>
	<td>Surrounding Azerbaijani rayons
	</td>
	</tr>
	</table>


	<table>
	<tr>
	<td width=33>
	<table><tr><td bgcolor=#eeaa00 height=18 width=25></td></tr></table>
	</td>
	<td>Foreign countries
	</td>
	</tr>
	</table>]]
	The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has declared several divisions within it; some correspond perfectly with ], while others use different borders. This is a comparative table of the current divisions declared by the government of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the corresponding rayons of Azerbaijan. <ref name="azerbregions"></ref>

	{\| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;align:left;"
	\|- style=background:#efefef;
	! N-K division !! Azerbaijani rayon
	\|-
	\|]
	\|] (city), ]
	\|-
	\|]
	\|southern ]
	\|-
	\|]
	\|eastern ] and western ]
	\|-
	\|]
	\|northern ]
	\|-
	\|]*
	\|] (city), southern ]
	\|-
	\|]
	\|] (city), ]
	\|}

	The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic claims ], which was not part of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. Representatives from Shahumian declared independence along with Nagorno-Karabakh, and the proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic includes the Shahumian region within its borders. Unlike the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh, Shahumian remains under Azerbaijani control.

	==International status==
	The sovereign status of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not recognized by any state, including Armenia. Three ] Resolutions (853, 874, and 884) refer to Nagorno-Karabakh as a region of Azerbaijan. According to a report prepared by British parliamentarian and rapporteur ], presented to Political Affairs Committee of the ] (PACE), "the borders of Azerbaijan were internationally recognised at the time of the country being recognised as independent state in 1991," and "the territory of Azerbaijan included the Nagorno-Karabakh region."

	The latest resolution # 1416 adopted by PACE (), 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 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 binding 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 ] 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 ] Foreign Minister ], Parliamentary Assembly President ] and Secretary General ]. They recalled that following 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 ]s in those countries or as refugees abroad. This position was reiterated by Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe on ] ] with regard to the next elections, staged in the province.

	However, according to an analysis by ]'s Center for International Law & Policy, as well as ], "Nagorno Karabagh has a right of self-determination, including the attendant right to independence, according to the criteria recognized under international law." The analysis further notes that NKR's "independence was declared not from the Soviet Union but from Azerbaijan. This act fully complied with existing law. Indeed, the 1990 Soviet law titled 'Law of the USSR Concerning the Procedure of Secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR," provides that the secession of a Soviet republic from the body of the USSR allows an autonomous region and compactly settled minority regions in the same republic's territory also to trigger its own process of independence.'

	The Background Paper on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict prepared by Directorate General of Political Affairs of the Council of Europe, on the other hand, states, "The Armenian side maintains that 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 the choice of two options – to remain within the USSR or to join independent Azerbaijan; N-K independence does not seem possible."

	==History==

	{{main\|History of Nagorno-Karabakh}}

	] ] 1989 divisions and subdivions map showing the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (''Nagorno-Karabakhskaya AO'' in ]) of ].]]
	]
	The region of Nagorno-Karabakh falls within the lands occupied by peoples known to modern archaeologists as the ], who lived between the two rivers bearing those names. Little is known of the ancient history of the region, primarily because of the scarcity of historical sources. At various times in antiquity that are difficult to establish with precision at this time, this area was part of Aghbania, or ], and at others, of ].

	In the ] and ] centuries, the region was invaded by ], who pillaged it. Under the Arabs, the Albanian church was subordinated to the ], resulting in the population of Caucasian Albania gradually becoming more like Armenians in terms of religion, culture, and language. In the ], the ] was established in Artsakh.

	In the ], the territory of Karabakh was part of the states of ] and then ]. In the early ], after the fall of the Ak-Koyunlu state, control of the region passed to the ] dynasty of ], that created a ] (''beglarbekdom'', bəylərbəyliyi); and in the mid-], the ] was formed.<ref></ref> Karabakh passed to ] by the ], signed between the Khan of Karabakh and the Russian Czar in 1805, and later further formalized with the conquest of other Azerbaijani khanates by the ] in ], before the rest of ] was incorporated into the Empire in ] by the ]. In ], the Karabakh khanate was dissolved, and the area became part of the Elizavetpol governorate within the ]. After that Russian Empire began massive relocation of Armenian population into Karabakh region to achieve the Christian support in that region. Hundreds of families came from Turkey (Van region) to Karabakh to make a majority in population against Azeris by the turn of the 20th century.

	After the ], Karabakh became part of the ], but this soon dissolved into separate ], ], and ] states. In ], ] was taken over by the ] who, in order to attract public support, promised they would allot Karabakh to Armenia, along with ] and ] (a strip separating ] from Azerbaijan proper). However, ] also had far-reaching plans concerning Turkey -- hoping that it would, with a little help from Russia, develop along ] lines. Needing to appease Turkey, Moscow agreed to a division that left Zangezur to Armenia, while leaving Karabakh and Nakhchivan in Azerbaijan. As a result, the ] was established within the ] in ].

	With the beginning of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the question of Nagorno-Karabakh re-emerged. Complaining about "forced Azerification" of the region, the majority Armenian population, with ideological and material support from Armenia, started a movement to transfer it to Armenia.

	On February 20, 1988, Armenian deputies to the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh voted to unify that region with Armenia. On February 24, 1988, a direct confrontation between Azerbaijanis and Armenians near Askeran (in Nagorno-Karabakh, on the road ] - ]) degenerated into a skirmish. Large numbers of refugees left Armenia and Azerbaijan as pogroms began against the minority populations of the respective countries. In the fall of 1989, intensified inter-ethnic conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh led Moscow to grant Azerbaijani authorities greater leeway in controlling that region. The Soviet policy backfired, however, when a joint session of the ] and the National Council, the legislative body of Nagorno-Karabakh, proclaimed the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.

	In a December 1991 referendum, boycotted by local Azerbaijanis, Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh approved the creation of an independent state. A Soviet proposal for enhanced autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan satisfied neither side, and a land war subsequently erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

	The struggle over Nagorno-Karabakh escalated after both Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the post-Soviet power vacuum, military action between Azerbaijan and Armenia was heavily influenced by the ] military.

	By the end of 1993, the ] had caused thousands of casualties and created hundreds of thousands of refugees on both sides. By May 1994 the Armenian were in control of 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan. At that stage the Government of Azerbaijan for the first time during the entire duration of the conflict recognised Nagorno-Karabakh as a third party of the war and started direct negotiations with the Karabakhi authorities. As a result, an unofficial cease-fire was reached on ], ], through Russian negotiation, and continues today.

	==Current situation==
	{{current}}
	Today, Nagorno-Karabakh is a ''de facto'' independent state, calling itself the ''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic'' <ref name="bbc2005" />. It is closely tied to the Republic of Armenia and uses the currency of the latter, the ]. Successive Armenian governments have resisted internal pressure to unite the two, fearing reprisals from Azerbaijan and from the international community, that still considers Nagorno-Karabakh part of Azerbaijan. The politics of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are so intermingled that a former president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, ], became first the prime minister (]) and then the president of Armenia (] to the present).

	] and Azerbaijan President ] at a peace conference (one of many) in Astana, ].]]
	At present, the mediation process is at a standstill, with the most recent discussions in ], France, yielding no agreement. <ref name="" /> Azerbaijan's position has been that Armenian troops withdraw from all areas of Azerbaijan outside Nagorno-Karabakh, and that all displaced persons be allowed to return to their homes before the status of Karabakh can be discussed. Armenia does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as being legally part of Azerbaijan, arguing that because the region declared independence at the same time that Azerbaijan became an independent state, both of them are equally ]s of the Soviet Union. The Armenian government insists that the government of Nagorno-Karabakh be part of any discussions on the region's future, and rejects ceding occupied territory or allowing refugees to return prior to talks on the region's status.

	Representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, ], Russia and the ] met in ] and in ], ], in the Spring of 2001. <ref name="state2001"></ref> The details of the talks have remained largely secret, but the parties are reported to have discussed non-hierarchical relationships between the central Azerbaijani government and the Karabakh Armenian authorities. Despite rumours that the parties were close to a solution, the Azerbaijani authorities -- both during ]'s period of office, and after the accession of his son ] in the October 2003 elections -- have firmly denied that any agreement was reached in Paris or Key West.

	Further talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian, were held in September 2004 in Astana, ], on the sidelines of the ] (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was the withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, and holding ] (plebiscites) in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan proper regarding the future status of the region. On February 10 and 11, 2006, Kocharian and Aliyev met in ], ], to discuss the fundamental principles of a settlement to the conflict, including the withdrawal of troops, formation of international peace keeping troops, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. <ref name="" /> During the weeks and days before the talks in France, ] co-chairmen expressed cautious optimism that some form of an agreement was possible. French President ] met with both leaders separately and expressed hope that the talks would be fruitful. Contrary to the initial optimism, the Rambouillet talks did not produce any agreement, with key issues such as the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and whether Armenian troops would withdraw from Kelbajar still being contentious. <ref name="" />

	The latest talks were held at the Polish embassy in ], ]. <ref></ref> Again, American, Russian, and French diplomats attended the talks that lasted over 40 minutes. <ref></ref> Earlier, Armenian President Kocharian announced that he was ready to "continue dialogue with Azerbaijan for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and with Turkey on establishing relations without any preconditions." <ref></ref>

	Unfortunately, according to Armenian foreign minisiter, ], no progress was made at this latest meeting. Both presidents failed to reach a consensus on the issues from the earlier Rambouillet conference. He noted that the Kocharian-Aliyev meeting was held in a normal atmosphere. "Nevertheless," he added, "the foreign ministers of the two countries are commissioned to continue talks over settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and try to find common points before the next meeting of the presidents." <ref></ref>

	"The situation at the talks over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict continues being a peculiar pressure upon Armenia," stated ], Azeri head of the External Relations Department of the President's Administration. "I believe that a basis for progress in concluding final peace between the parties will be formed during coming talks." He also stated that during the summit Azerbaijan President Aliyev issued a statement detailing country's latest achievements and touching upon the Karabakh issue. "The meeting continued for two days: 3.5 hours on the first and over an hour on the second day," He also stated that although arrangements were made over individual issues, there were no results yet. The next talks are said to be held by the end of 2006, when a final resolution may come to the table. <ref></ref>

	According to the ] in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan President Aliyev stated in an interview with ] that he is sure that the "Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict will be resolved on the basis of norms and principles of international law." He also stated that "We will never agreed with the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan or its independence, we can provide Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh with the autonomy status, including security and certain elements of self-government. However, this can happen only within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan." <ref></ref> Instead of autonomy, however, the position of Armenia and the international mediators of the conflict (especially the United States) favor allowing the Karabakh Armenians to determine their future through a popular vote. <ref></ref> In a recent interview, Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations ] said that "it should not be forgotten that the years of NKR independence had their role. The people are not only a subject, but also an object of the international law and they should decide their future themselves." He underscored that "there is no difference whether a state is recognized by the international community or not. The NKR is a party to the conflict and its presence at the talks is compulsory." Nadein-Rayevsky said of Azerbaijan: "They speak of some autonomy models, but they do not ask the NKR population. I am sure this is not correct." <ref></ref>

	==Demographics==



	==Human rights==

	280,000 persons—virtually all ethnic Armenians who fled Azerbaijan during the 1988-1993 war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh—were living in refugee-like circumstances in Armenia. Some left the country, principally to Russia. Their children born in Armenia acquire citizenship automatically. Their numbers are thus subject to constant decline due to death, departure, and de-registration required for naturalization. Of these, about 250,000 fled Azerbaijan-proper (areas outside Nagorno-Karabakh); approximately 30,000 came from Nagorno-Karabakh, which is in Azerbaijan but controlled by Armenians. All were registered with the government as refugees at year’s end<ref name="wrs2001"></ref>.

	The Nagorno Karabakh conflict also has resulted in the displacement of 528,000 Azerbaijanis from Armenian controlled territories including Nagorno Karabakh, and 186,000 Azeris, 18,000 Kurds and 3500 Russians fled from Armenia to Azerbaijan from 1988 to 1989.<ref name=""></ref> The Azerbaijani government has estimated that 63 percent of IDPs lived below the poverty line as compared to 49 percent of the total population. About 154,000 lived in the capital, Baku. According to the International Organization for Migration, 40,000 IDPs lived in camps, 60,000 in underground dugout shelters, and 20,000 in railway cars. Forty-thousand IDPs lived in EU-funded settlements and UNHCR provided housing for another 40,000. Another 5,000 IDPs lived in schools. Others lived in trains, on roadsides in half-constructed buildings, or in public buildings such as tourist and health facilities. Tens of thousands lived in seven tent camps where poor water supply and sanitation caused gastro-intestinal infections, tuberculosis, and malaria.

	The Azerbaijani government has been reluctant to integrate the IDP's into the rest of the population lest others interpret it as acceptance of the permanent loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. The government required IDPs to register their place of residence in a vestige of the Soviet-era propiska system and only allowed them to live in approved areas. IDPs could receive assistance only in the camps or settlements where the Government initially assigned them, limiting their ability to look for work. Many were from rural areas and found it difficult to integrate into the urban labor market. A 2002 Law on Grants hindered humanitarian access by imposing a 27 percent tax on the wages of NGO employees and requiring notice of all grants. Many international humanitarian agencies reduced or ceased assistance for IDPs.<ref name="wrs2005"></ref>. The infant mortality among displaced children is 3-4 times higher than in the rest of the population. The rate of ] was 88.2 per 1,000 live born babies among the internally displaced people. The majority of the displaced have continued to live in difficult conditions for more than 12 years. <ref name="gidp"> (as a ])</ref>.

	==References==

	===Footnotes===
	<div class="references-small"><references /></div>
	<!-- Dead note "wrs2000": -->
	<!-- Dead note "walljournal1": Little Progress For Armenia and Karabakh. February 11, 2006. -->

	===General===

	# {{loc}} -

	==See also==
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]

	== External links ==
	{{sisterlinks\|Nagorno-Karabakh}}

	=== Non partisan sources ===

	* from the ]
	* Report by rapporteur David Atkinson presented to Political Affairs Committee of the ]
	* by ], Publication of the ]
	*, by Patricia Carley, Publication of the ] (USIP)
	*
	*
	* from the ]

	=== From an Armenian perspective ===

	*
	*
	*
	*
	*

	=== From an Azerbaijani perspective ===

	*
	*
	*
	*


	{{Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict}}
	{{Asia}}
	{{Europe}}

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Revision as of 02:22, 26 June 2006

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Nagorno-Karabakh / Template:Hayeren / Dağlıq Qarabağ


Flag	Coat of Arms

Anthem: Azat ou Ankakh Artsakh
("Free and Independent Artsakh")

Political status

Unrecognized

Languages

Armenian

Capital

Stepanakert (Xankəndi)

President

Arkady Ghoukasyan

Prime Minister

Anushavan Danielyan

Independence
– Referendum
– Proclaimed
– Recognition

From Azerbaijan
December 10, 1991
January 6, 1992
none

Area

4,400 km²
1,699 sq mi

Population
Ethnic Composition

145,000 (est. 2002)
Over 95% Armenian
5% minorities

Currency

Dram (AMD) (Armenian)

Time zone

UTC +4 (DST +5)

Calling Code

374 97 (Karabakh Telecome GSM)

Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed region in the South Caucasus within the borders of Azerbaijan, located about 270 kilometres (170 miles) west of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, and very close to the border with Armenia.

The predominantly Armenian region was incorporated by the Soviet Union as the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) in the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923. On December 10 1991, as the Soviet Union was collapsing, a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighboring district of Shahumian resulted in a declaration of independence from Azerbaijan as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). The NKR exists in a de facto status only, as it remains unrecognized by any international organization or country, including Armenia, and the area claimed by the NKR has explicity been recognized as part of Azerbaijan in United Nations Security Resolutions.

In the final years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the region became a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, culminating in the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Since the end of the war in 1994, most of Nagorno-Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan around it remain under Armenian military control.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, where, among other issues, the future status of the region is being discussed. <ref name="">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/in_depth/newsid_4685000/4685287.stm Chapters from the Russian version of the book "Black Garden" (In Russi

Council on Foreign Relations - Nagorno-Karabakh: The Crisis in the Caucasus