The Voice of Mirza Xazar

Provocative Referendum in Karabagh
By Faruk Akkan, Cihan News Agency, Moscow
Sunday, December 10, 2006
zaman.com

The Nagorno Karabagh region, the separatist Azerbaijani territory under Armenian occupation, held an independence referendum Sunday.

The referendum can be compared to those in Moldova’s Transdinyester and Georgia’s South Ossetia regions.

Azeri foreign minister Elmar Mehmedyarov called the referendum a disappointing move for the attempts to maintain peace in the region.

The minister warned that any referendum held prior to the return of the Azeri population removed from the region since the occupation would not be fair and legitimate.

Pro-Western GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) countries criticized the Karabagh referendum. The jointly issued statement raised concerns that the referendum would deteriorate the overall situation in the region.

Recalling that the referendum had no legal basis, the statement further noted that it would constitute a beach under Azerbaijan’s constitution and international law.

After a meeting in Minsk, Azeri and Armenian leaders had announced their optimism about peace. This referendum held at a time when prospects for a workable peace were most likely since the truce accord of 1994 raises serious concerns.

The Nagorno Karabagh region declared de facto independence from Azerbaijan after the dissolution of Soviet bloc in 1990. With its own army, flag, and government, the region acts like and independent state.

The international community recognizes the region as part of Azerbaijan. Russia has often threatened that if regions seeking independence through referendums were not recognized by the United Nations, it would veto Kosovo’s attempt to declare independence in the U.N. Security Council.

Roughly 140,000 Armenian residents in Karabagh depend on financial aid of the Armenian diaspora in Russia and Western countries.

No significant progress has been in the region since the truce. People have trouble meeting fundamental needs, such as heating, shelter and food.

The armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted in the late 1980s. While more than 35,000 died in the fighting, nearly 1,000,000 Azeri had to migrate from the region. The refugees are trying to survive in camps under dire conditions and are looking forward to return to their homes.

(Zaman.Online)