AZERBAYCAN’IN KARABAĞ POLİTİKASI VE STRATEJİK VİZYONU
AZERBAIJAN’S POLICY ON KARABAKH AND ITS STRATEGIC VISION

Summary/Abstract: On the 20th anniversary of its independence, the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains at the top of Azerbaijan’s domestic and foreign policy agenda. Until the 2000’s, Azerbaijan sought to end this conflict using the tools of international law and diplomacy, supported by the OSCE Minsk Group and regional powers. The creation of the “Prague Format” in 2004 saw direct bilateral negotiations between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. When the power balance across the Caucasus shifted following the Russian-Georgian war of 2008, Moscow became the third party in the negotiations. During this process, Azerbaijan used its economic success to increase its military capacity, which in turn strengthened its argument for right to the use of force under the UN Charter. The developments in the military sector, seen in the acceptance of Military Doctrine in 2010, led to increased tension between the conflict parties, and greater risk of war. With Azerbaijan’s recent accession to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member, Baku will be able to bring a UNSC resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh to the global agenda once again. Similarly, the attempts to mobilize the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh will increase Azerbaijan’s diplomatic clout in the international arena. In this context, the current article describes developments within the framework of Azerbaijan’s policies and strategic vision for conflict resolution. In addition to examining the efforts of the Minsk Group and international organizations, the article will look to the future, with predictions and suggestions for policy makers.

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