When 68-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin brokered a ceasefire Nov, 18 in the war-torn Nagorno-Karabakh regions of Azerbaijan, Armenians got that sinking feeling that there were sold out by their historic ally. But for Armenians, allies come and go, after watching Turkey under 67-year-old Recep Tayyip Erdogan deny that his predecessors, the Ottoman Turks, slaughtered 1.5 million Armenians in 1915-1917, known as the Armenian genocide. So it comes as no surprise to 45-year-old Armenian Prime Minister Niko Pashnyan that the world would turn a blind eye on Armenians. Living in the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh regions for centuries, Armenians consider the area part of sovereign Azerbaijan as ancestral home to Armenians. Putin’s ceasefire gave Azerbaijan back some of the most sacred land to Armenians, housing homes and Medieval Christian churches.
Slamming the French parliament for showing support to France’s 500,000 Armenians, Azerbaijan took great umbrage because France is a co-sponsor of the Minsk Group, where permanent settlements could be reached on Armenian rights, especially to territory in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenian Prime Minister Pashnyan praised France for standing up for Armenians. Armenia fought a bloody war from 1982-1994 to preserve their ancestral homes in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry called France’s non-binding resolution “a provocation,” insisting France resign from its leadership role in the Minsk group. Azerbaijan asked the Organization form Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE] to revoke France role in Minsk because the French Senate showed sympathy with Armenians. How could you not, watching Armenians forced out of their homes and churches.
At the root of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who 100% backs Azerbaijan largely due to their economic ties with Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital. Turkey is part of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline [BTC,] running petroleum from Georgia to Azerbaijan then Turkey. Beyond that, the Ottoman Turk’s massacre on Armenians was used by Polish Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin’s definition of genocide in 1943, citing the Ottoman Turks massacre of Armenians. Frances Upper House voted today to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as independent Armenian state. Whatever happens it Minsk, Azerbaijan isn’t likely to recognized Armenian sovereignty even if they agree to allow Armenians to live in certain approved enclaves in the region. France is home to the second largest Armenian diaspora in the world next to the one in the United States.
Azerbaijan’s has past history with Tsarist Russia, where Tsar Nicholas II granted independence form Russia in 1918. When the Soviet Union formed in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] incorporated Azerbaijan as a Soviet satellite. Azerbaijan, like Armenia, got their final independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union disbanded, granting many of its satellites independence. France’s Upper House antagonized Azerbaijan today recognizing the region as subject to change in sovereignty once the Minsk Group begins in June 2021. “Azerbaijan categorically rejects the Senate’s resolution, which contradicts the United Nation’s Charter,” said Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. Azerbaijan’s parliament speaker Sahiba Gafarova said a “dirty political campaign against Azerbaijan,” blaming France for already prejudging the outcome of future talks.
Azerbaijan is primarily a Sunni Muslim country with a small Christian and even smeller Jewish population. Armenia is home to the ancient Armenian Christian faith with some of the oldest Medieval churches in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Forcing Armenians to relocate after centuries of living in the region makes zero sense, requiring the Minsk Group to come up with a formula that works for both sides. While it’s good that the bloodshed has ended for the moment, an equitable settlement can’t separate Armenians from their ancestral homes and churches. When the U.S., Russian, France and Germany meet in Minsk, there’s no guarantee that the group will decide that Azerbaijan can keep Armenians out of their ancestral homes, granting them some kind of territorial independence. Any kind of peace treaty must take into account Armenians historic ties to Nagorno-Karabakh.
With over 2,000 Russian peacekeepers in the region, Armenians still control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, even though Armenians were forced out of certain towns now controlled by Azerbaijan. When the Minsk group meets in June, everything will be on the table, including providing permanent status to Armenians in most of the Nagorno-Karabakh area, despite allowing Azerbaijan to maintain control of some towns and villages. Armenians declaration of independence in the region hasn’t been accepted, even by France who recognizes Armenian rights in the region. Azerbaijan’s isn’t likely to cede sovereignty to Armenia but they could offer the Armenian population a path to Azerbaijan citizenship, allowing them to stay in their homes and worship in their Armenian Orthodox churches. Azerbaijan has nothing to lose letting Armenians stay and pay taxes in Nagorno-Karabakh.
