The First Nagorno-Karabakh War and Its Consequences for Armenian Independence

74. The Escalation of the Conflict

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict intensified as Soviet authority weakened.

Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh sought separation from Soviet Azerbaijan and union with Armenia or independent political status.

Azerbaijan maintained that Nagorno-Karabakh was part of its internationally recognized territory.

The conflict involved incompatible political claims, historical grievances, ethnic violence, and competing interpretations of self-determination and territorial integrity.

As the Soviet Union disintegrated, armed confrontations escalated into full-scale war.

75. The War of 1991–1994

The First Nagorno-Karabakh War involved Armenian forces, Azerbaijani forces, and the Armenian military and political structures operating in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict caused extensive casualties, destruction, and population displacement.

Armenian forces eventually gained control of most of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and surrounding Azerbaijani districts.

Hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were displaced from these territories.

Armenians were also displaced from Azerbaijan and other areas affected by the conflict.

The war left both societies with profound human and political losses.

In May 1994, a ceasefire was established through negotiations involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, and representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ceasefire ended large-scale fighting but did not resolve the region's political status.

76. The Relationship Between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh

The Republic of Armenia and the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic developed close political, military, economic, and social relationships.

Armenia provided significant support to the Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, Nagorno-Karabakh was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and the self-proclaimed republic did not receive international recognition as a sovereign state, including from Armenia.

This distinction remained central to international diplomacy.

The conflict became one of the principal factors shaping Armenia's foreign policy, defense spending, and relations with neighboring countries.

77. The OSCE Minsk Process

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe established a diplomatic framework for resolving the conflict.

The Minsk Group, co-chaired for many years by France, Russia, and the United States, sought a negotiated settlement.

Proposals addressed territorial arrangements, security guarantees, displaced populations, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Despite repeated negotiations, no comprehensive settlement was reached before the renewed war in 2020.

The unresolved conflict remained a major obstacle to regional cooperation and long-term security.