The autonomous republic within Azerbaijan, which is little known at the international level, is another consequence of the “divide and rule” policy of the Stalinist regime. Having regained control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Baku has not hesitated to express its desire to have a direct connection with its exclave of Nakhchivan, which complicates relations with the EU and Western partners.

This exclave is bordered by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the west, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is located in a predominantly mountainous area, except for the plains to the west and southwest. It has a population of 461,500 inhabitants, mostly Azerbaijanis, and an area of ​​5,502.75 km2. Being an integral part of Azerbaijan, a country to which the EU and other European states, including the Republic of Moldova, are courting for its energy resources, events in this region cannot go unnoticed. What is the past of the region and what is its future – find out in the following material.

One of the oldest cities

The name of the region comes from the country’s capital, Nakhchivan, founded around 1500 BC, which is one of the oldest cities in the region.

It was called that during the time of Alexander the Great Naxuanand that’s what it’s called in Armenian Naksavan. In addition, for Armenians, the name of the region and the city is connected with the biblical plot “Noah’s Ark”, since etymologically in the Armenian language it is translated as “the place of the first descendants”, that is, the place where the living people remained. A great flood fell, reaching Mount Ararat.

Like other regions in the Caucasus, it was ruled by Persia, Rome, Armenia, Mongolia, and Turkey until it became part of Russia in 1828. In recent centuries, this territory was mainly Azerbaijani. Thus, some sources mention the fact that by 1914 the Armenian population had decreased by 40%, and the number of Azerbaijanis in the region had increased by 60%.

The chaos and revolution of 1917 was no exception for the Nakhichevan region, which was the scene of bloody battles and purges between Armenians and Azerbaijanis who disputed its ownership. In 1918, the region was occupied by Ottoman forces, who carried out mass murders that killed about 10,000 Armenians. Later, the Ottomans retreated, and British troops arrived in the area.

Sovietization

After the arrival of the Soviets in the region, the Democratic Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan continued the struggle for dominance in the region. In July 1920, the Red Army invaded and occupied the territory. The Nakhichevan ASSR was proclaimed, which in turn established “close ties” with the Azerbaijan SSR.

In an attempt to gain political support, the Bolshevik leaders of Armenia promised the integration of Nakhichevan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Zangezur regions into the Armenian SSR, which was once supported by Lenin and the Bolshevik leaders in Baku.

However, in 1921, the Soviet authorities held a referendum in which 90% of the population of Nakhichevan voted to remain part of the Azerbaijan SSR. The result was fixed by the treaty of March 16, 1921 between Turkey and Soviet Russia. Since 1924, it became an autonomous republic within the Azerbaijan SSR within the USSR.

During the Soviet period, the Azerbaijani population of the region continued to grow steadily, while the Armenian minority declined from 15% in 1926 to 1.4% in 1979.

On January 20, 1990, the Verkhovna Rada of the Nakhichevan SSR voted to secede from the USSR and join Azerbaijan. The same Verkhovna Rada will elect Ilham Aliyev, the future president of independent Azerbaijan, as the leader of the region.

Thus, the collapse of the Soviet colossus left the region as part of independent Azerbaijan, which fell under several blockades by Armenia starting in the 1980s and ending in the mid-1990s.

Current importance

Returning to the present, the theme of the Nakhichevan exclave has re-emerged in the public space, of course, after Azerbaijan’s victory over the militants of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh. But above all, after the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the region. He made a statement at the invitation of the President of Azerbaijan, in which he emphasized the importance of the corridor bordering Turkey and Azerbaijan, suggesting that without the support of Armenia, it could cross Iran. Of course, this move has sparked discussions about geopolitical implications and tensions in the South Caucasus region.

However, this small area does have a small border with Turkey. Therefore, if Azerbaijan manages to bridge the gap between the mainland and this isolated territory, it will establish a direct link between Turkey and the Caspian Sea in the east. At the same time, Azerbaijan would have a direct connection with Turkey, which would give it access to the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and Europe.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also expressed interest in creating a land corridor through Armenia that would connect his country with Turkey. These ambitions are rooted in the historical geopolitical landscape of the region, as the Nakhchivan region is now separated from mainland Azerbaijan.

Of course, Armenia expressed concern over this development, fearing that such a corridor could lead to further territorial losses. Armenia has also accused Azerbaijan of undermining the peace process and incomplete implementation of regional agreements. In the past few days alone, more than 100,000 Armenians have left Nagorno-Karabakh, recently conquered by Azerbaijan, The Guardian notes.

Creation of the Zangezur Corridor

The Zangezur Corridor is a proposed land and rail route that will establish a direct connection between the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan and other regions of Azerbaijan. This corridor is considered an important infrastructure project that could strengthen ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In addition, Turkish President Erdogan, as always, wants Turkey to dominate the Black Sea-Caspian region, and would very much like to turn the Zangezur and Lachin transport routes (connecting Karabakh and Armenia) into “corridors of peace” – read the whole article and comment. on Contributors.ro