Thursday marked the final chapter in Nagorno-Karabakh’s protracted struggle for independence, as a decree stated that the ethnic Armenian region in Azerbaijan would cease to exist by the end of the year.
The momentous declaration came right after it became apparent that a majority of the ethnic Armenian populace had evacuated in response to the recent offensive by Azerbaijan, their longstanding rival.
This development appeared to signal the end of one of the world’s longest-standing and seemingly unresolvable “frozen conflicts,” which multiple Washington administrations and European leaders were unable to resolve despite numerous rounds of talks.
However, it stirred up greater anger in Yerevan.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia accused Azerbaijan of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and urged the international community to intervene.
Baku’s rapid 24-hour military operation came to an end with a truce on September 20, during which the rebel forces vowed to disarm and participate in “reintegration” discussions.
Azerbaijani forces, in collaboration with Russian peacekeepers, conducted the collection of separatist weaponry and the reacquisition of towns that had been outside Baku’s jurisdiction since the initial conflict in the 1990s, while two rounds of negotiations were held.
Read also: Ceasefire: Armenia Protesters Demand PM’s Resignation
At present, Azerbaijani forces have reached the outskirts of Stepanakert, a once-vibrant rebel stronghold where separatist leader Samvel Shakhramanyan issued his decree.
‘Dissolve all state institutions and organisations under their departmental subordination by January 1, 2024, and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) ceases to exist,’ said the decree.
‘The population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including those located outside the republic, after the entry into force of this Decree, familiarise themselves with the conditions of reintegration presented by the Republic of Azerbaijan.’
Since Azerbaijan reopened the sole road to Armenia on Sunday, the republic and its separatist ambitions have been progressively eroding.
Every day, tens of thousands have been loading their possessions onto their vehicles and setting off on the winding mountain route to Armenia.
As of Thursday afternoon, Armenia revealed that over 68,000 of the region’s 120,000-strong population had evacuated.
Pashinyan said he expected the entire population to clear out ‘in the coming days’.
‘The exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh continues,’ he told a cabinet meeting.
‘This is an act of ethnic cleansing of which we were warning the international community about for a long time.’
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh has been officially accepted as part of Azerbaijan.
Neither Armenia nor any other country supported the statelet’s declaration of independence.
However, ethnic Armenian separatists have held control over the region since winning a devastating war in the 1990s, a conflict that led to tens of thousands of casualties.