Nagorno-Karabakh Movement

The 71 years of Soviet rule in Armenia were a period of relative security, of great economic development, and of cultural and educational achievements. But during the same period the government of Soviet Azerbaijan was conducting a systematic policy of removing the Armenians from Nakhidjevan, which today has no Armenian population whatsoever.

The same policy was less effective in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Armenians remained the overwhelming majority. In February 1988 a peaceful, democratic movement for the reunification with Armenia began in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the regional Assembly of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region adopted a resolution seeking transfer of Karabakh from Azerbaijan to Armenia, as a realization of the right of the peoples under alien domination to self-determination.

The Azeri side responded by Armenian massacres in the Azeri cities of Sumgait, Kirovabad and Baku, transforming the peaceful movement into a violent conflict, and lately committing an act of military aggression against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The newly proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh managed to defeat the invading Azeri forces and to create a security zone around its territory and a humanitarian corridor to Armenia.

The negotiations on the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh are being conducted within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, through so-called Minsk Group, co-chaired by USA, Russian Federation and France.

Armenian History

Table of contents

1. Armenians
2. Artashisian Dynasty
3. Arshakunian Dynasty
4. The Armenian Alphabet
5. Arab Invasion and Byzantine Empire
6. Bagratunian Dynasty
7. Rubinian Dynasty
8. Armenia Under Turkish Rule
9. Armenian Question
10. Armenian Genocide
11. Armenian Soviet Republic
12. Nagorno-Karabakh movement
13. Armenia Today
14. Coat Of Arms
15. The Flag
16. Timeline
17. Mer Hayrenik