Reply #9: Because of Nagorno-Karabakh [View All]

[Sufi Marmot]

(All of the following has to be put in the historical context of Armenians not liking Turks because of the massacre of Armenians at the hands of the Ottomans at the beginning of the 20th Century. Azeris are a Muslim, Turkic people).

In short - there was an enclave of Armenians (but with many Azeris, often living side by side in the same village) in Azerbaijan - as the Soviet Union was breaking up, NK Armenians wanted to reunite with Armenia, NK Azeris didn't. There was anti-Azeri violence in Armenia/NK and anti-Armenian violence in Baku (the Sumgait riots). When both Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the situation deteriorated, and violence broke out in the NK, with Armenian militias (backed by Russia) invading Azerbaijan and "cleansing" most of the NK of Azeris, who became refugees.

Depending on whose version you believe (Azeri or Armenian), there were atrocities on both sides (and I have no doubt this is true...), but the bottom line is that Armenia now controls the NK and the neighboring parts of Azerbaijan. It's my understanding that the shooting has stopped for now (there aren't any Azeris in NK left to shoot), and Armenia has established a corridor (complete with a new highway) into the NK.

Azerbaijan Diary is a really interesting read, although the Armenians claim it's biased against them. Goltz's account of what happened at Xodjali and Shusha are particularly compelling...

-SM

On edit: I wonder if there are personal reasons that the Azeri officer lost it - friends or relatives killed in the conflict?