Chronology Of The Armenian - Azerbaijani Conflict (1987-1997)
By Sahil Group
1987
October-First meeting in Yerevan (Armenia) took place with challenges to annex the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous region (NKAR) of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic to the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR).
1988
January 25 - Exodus of Azeris living in the Armenian SSR began.
February 22 - 23 - The first meetings in Baku and Sumgait took place with a slogan: “NKAR is the integral part of Azerbaijan”.
February 24 - For the first time, in the course of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict blood was shed: in NKAR two Azeris were killed.
February 27 - Strikes started in NKAR with the demand to be separated from Azerbaijan.
February 28 - 29 - Pogroms and massive disorders in Sumgait took place. There were people, among the organisers of pogroms, of Armenian Nationality.
March 18 - Plenary Session of NKAR’s regional Committee adopted a decision on annexation of NKAR to Armenia.
March 24 - Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party and Council of Ministers adopted a resolution on “measures for speeding up the social-economic development of NKAR of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1988-1995”.
The first decade of May - More than one thousand Azeri refugees, deported from Armenia, came to Azerbaijan.
May 18 - Meetings took place in Baku as a sign of protest against ejection of Azeries from Armenia.
The first decade of June - Discrimination acts against Azeries in NKAR broke out. In a few days about 2.000 people were ejected.
June 14 - According to State Committee on Statistics of Azerbaijan four more thousand refugees fled to the Republic.
The last decade of June - Ejection of Azeries from Armenia is going on.
July 12 - The Session of People’s Deputies of the Regional Soviet in NKAR adopted an anti-constitutional decision on separation from the Azerbaijani SSR.
July 13 - Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijani SSR considered the decision of the session of the Regional Soviet from July 12, 1958, as an illicit act.
July 18 - The enlarged meeting of the Presidium of the USSR’s Supreme Soviet endorsed NKAR as belonging to the Azerbaijani SSR.
September 3 - 21 - Series of terrorist acts against Azeries in NKAR,setting out fire to houses and killing people in Stepanakert.
November 18 - December 5 - Meetings took place in Baku with the demand to put an end to terrorist acts against Azeries in NKAR.
November 24 - The State of Emergency was announced in Baku. Nakhchivan, Ganja.
November 27 - 29 - As a result of anti-Azerbaijani massacres 33 Azeries were killed in the cities of Gugark, S pitak and Stepanavan of the Armenian SSR. The second part of December- Exodus of Azeries from Armenia. More than 105 thousand refugees fled to Azerbaijan from the Armenian SSR.
1989
January 12 - In the territory of NKAR of Azerbaijan SSR a form of ruling was applied: Committee of special ruling was setup.
May - June - The first congress of the people’s deputies decided to form a Commission of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on Nagorny Karabakh
July 7 - The Azerbaijani village of Karkijahan in NKAR was fired.
July 11 - The escalation of the situation in NKAR. An armed assault on Azeris in Stepanakert. People were killed.
July 29 - The traffic of trains from Azerbaijan to Armenia was cut short because of the attacks to the trains in the territories of Armenia. The beginning of the blockade of .Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan by Armenia.
August 16 - The congress of the authoritative representatives, of Armenian population of NKAR, those refused to recognise the status of NKAR, as an autonomous region of Azerbaijan.
August 27 - The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijani Republic declared as illegal the decision of the congress of authoritative representatives of the Armenian population of NKAR from August 16, 1989.
The last decade of September - Strikes of the Azerbaijani railroaders in connection with the attacks to the trains in the territory of Armenia.
The second decade of October - The beginning of the blockade of Shusha region of NKAR, majority of the population of which is Azeris (91,7%).
The second decade of November - Assaults on Azerbaijani trains in the territory of the Armenian SSR, caused the stopping rail road traffic between the Azerbaijanian SSR and the Armenian SSR.
November 28 - The Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed a resolution “on measures for normalising the situation in NKAR”. It was decided to form the republican organisational committee on NKAR and to restore the activity of the regional soviet of the people’s deputies, by abolishing the committee of special rule of NKAR.
December 1 - The Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR passed an anti-constitutional resolution “on reunification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorny Karabakh”.
The first and second decades of December - Number of attacks from territory of Armenia to the border villages of Azerbaijan. The infantry brigands from the territory of Armenia were landed in the regions of Khanlar and Shaumyan of Azerhaijan.
December 7 - The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerhaijani SSR assessed this resolution of the Armenian Supreme Soviet from December 1, 1989 as inadmissible interference in the affairs of the Azerbaijani SSR, encroachment on its territorial integrity.
1990
January 9 - The session of the Armenian Supreme Soviet, considering the issues of planning and budget for 1990. included in its sphere of influence the plans of social-economic development of NKAR.
January 9 - Seizure of the Azerhaijani hostages by Armenians in the region of Shusha of Azerbaijan SSR.
January 4 - 10 - An illegal supply of about 100 tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft weapons by the Soviet Army to Armenia.
January 11 - The Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet condemned the decision of the Armenian Supreme Soviet include NKAR in its economic sphere, assessed it as a grave violation of the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Republic.
January 13 - As a result of the armed attacks Armenians occupied the village of Karki in Nakhchivan AR.
January 15 - An armed Armenian infantry were landed in the village of Gushchu Khanlar region.
January 19 - Armenians assaulted - on the settlement of Sadarak in Nakhchivan AR.
January 20 - The Soviet troops entered Baku, as a result 124 people were killed, 737 people were wounded. The State of emergency was declared in Baku and in other cities of Azerbaijan.
January 21 - The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijani SSR demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Baku.
February 13 - The Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR passed a resolution “On admission a.s illegal the decision of the Caucuses Bureau of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party of July 5, 1921”. which left NKAR as part of the Azerbaijani SSR.
March 6 - The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijani SSR passed a resolution “ On inadmissibility of territorial claims by the Armenian SSR”.
March 7 - The Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed a resolution “On the situation in the Azerbaijani SSR and Armenian SSR and on the measures for normalising the situation in this region”.
March 24 - The attack of the armed thugs of the Armenian SSR to the villages of the Gazakh region of the Azerbaijani SSR. All civilians of that village were killed.
May 22 - The attempts to organise elections of the people’s deputies of the Armenian SSR in the territory of the NKAR failed.
May 25 - The resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR “On anticonstutional devision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR and its Presidium concerning NKAR of the Azerhaijani SSR.”
June 25 - Decree of the President of the USSR “On prohibition to form armed forces which are not envisaged in the legislation of the USSR and confiscation of illegally kept weapons”.
June 29 - The Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijani SSR passed a resolution “On resumption of sovereign rights of the Azerbaijani SSR in NKAR and measures for social economical development of the region”.
September 23 - The People’s deputies of the USSR from Azerbaijan appealed the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On forcible deportation of the Azerbaijani population of Armenia”.
1991
January - May - The Armenian thugs committed terrorist acts against the leadership of the Committee of the special directorate of NKAR, the armed attacks and firing of the Azerbaijani villages.
May 9 - The USSR Ministry of the Internal Affairs, KGB and Ministry of Defence take measures for disarmament of the illegal Armenian armed forces and confiscation of weapons in the districts near the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as NKAR of the Azerbaijani SSR.
June 29 - The Session of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijani Republic draws the attention of the USSR President and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to ihe new stage of escalation of Armenian thugs groups attacks in NKAR, as well as passes a decision to mom up the territory of NKAR from the thugs groups dispatched from Armenia and finish the measures of the USSR presidential decree banning the formation of armed forces.
September 2 - The Armenian separatists declared the establishment of so called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)” in the territory of Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijani Republic. All the armed groups of about 15.000 were formed as “ self-defence forces of NKR” and subordinated to the Committee of Defence.
The middle of September - The Armenian armed forces attacked the western part of Goranboy district of Azerbaijan and occupied number of inhabited settlements.
September 23 - Meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenian in Zheleznovodsk (Russia) mediated by the Russian and Kazakhstan Presidents. There was reached an agreement on peaceful settlement of the conflict.
October - November - The Armenian armed forces launched hostilities to drive the Azerbaijani population out from the territories of Martuni and Hadrut districts of the NKAR. The USSR airforces took part in the hostilities supporting the Armenian forces. The Armenian forces occupied about 30 settlements.
November 20 - Near the village of Garakend of the Khojavand district of the Azerbaijani Republic the helicopter ‘Ml-S’ was shot down, in which there was the peacemaking group of the Russian, Kazakhstan representatives and the senior leadership of Azerbaijan. The murder of 22 people. including the state figures of the 3 countries put an end the first attempt for peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerhaijani conflict, undertaken in Zhe]eznovodsk and gave an impetus to the escalation of violence in the region.
The middle of December - The forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR were withdrawn from the territory of Nagorny Karabakh. Illega1 transfer of weapons to Armenia by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.
December 30 - The leaders of CIS countries called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to resume the negotiation process.
1992
January - The armed forces of Armenia relying on the support of rifle regiment 366 of the Russian aimed forces, launched the occupation of the last Azerbaijani settlements of Karabakh which were in a complete isolation.
January 30 - 31 - The second meeting of the Council of CSCE (Prague). Azerbaijan and Armenia got the membership of CSCE. It was decided to send a mission of raporteurs in to the region of conflict.
The first half of February - Occupation of the suburb of Stepanakert (Karkijahan), as well as the Azerbaijani settlements along the road of Shusha-Khojali and around Shusha.
February 12 - 18 - First visit of the CSCE Raporteur to the region.
February 25 - 26 - Assault and seizure Of the city of Khojaly (Nagorno-Karabakh region, Azerbaijan) by military forces of Armenia and with the participation of 366 Infantry regiment of the Russian military forces, as a result 800 civilians were brutally killed.
The end of February - Evacuation of the staff of the 366 Infantry regiment of the Russian military forces from Stepanakert and illegal transfer of 25 tanks, 87 armoured infantry fighting vehicles, 28 armoured vehicles, 45 artillery mortar systems to Armenians.
March 24 - Additional Helsinki meeting of the CSCE Council, decision to convene a conference on Nagorny Karabakh under the aegis of the CSCE. Chairman-in-Office designated Mr. Rafaelli as a Chairman of the Minsk Conference.
April - Beginning of the activity of Russia as mediator.
May 7 - Meeting of the Heads of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Tehran through the mediation of Iran (meeting was devoted to the normalisation of the situation in Nagorny Karabalch and to the peaceful settlement of the conflict). May 8- Military Forces of the Russian Army occupied Shusha and Shusha region (Nagorny Karabakh) and it led to the breakdown of agreements reached in Tehran. As the result of the occupation of Shusha region 23156 Azeris were driven out from their permanent residences.
May 18 - 19 - Military forces of the Republic of Armenia occupied Lachin region, which was outside Nagorny Karabakh. As the result of this occupation-63341 Azeris were banished from their homes. At the same time military forces of the Russian Army attacked strategically important part of the Azerbaijan- Turkish border in Sadarak region (Nakhchivan).
May 18 - 19 - It was agreed to hold an extraordinary preparing meeting of the CSCE participating states at the Conference on Nagorny Karabakh which was held under the aegis of CSCE.
June - September - Rounds of negotiations were held within the framework of the CSCE Minsk group on the cessation of the offensive operations, de-escalation of the conflict and normalisation of the life of ordinary citizens.
September 19 - Agreements on cessation of all military actions in 2 months period reached by Defence Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with the participation of the Ministers of defence and Security of Russia (Sochi).
September - November - Visits and consultations of the Russian mediator mission in the region.
November 26-December 1 - Meeting of the CSCE Ad-hoc group with the competence of advanced group of observes (Vienna).
December 7 - 9 - Unofficial meeting of the personal representatives of the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, USA and Turkey (Geneva).
December 9 - 12 - Violation of the agreement reached between Defence Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi, Armenia occupied 8 villages of Zangelan district of Azerbaijan.
1993
February 5 - Beginning of the large-scale attacks of the Military forces Of the Russian Army in the northern part of the front.
March 17 - 21 - Meeting of Personal Representatives of Armenia, Russia, USA, Turkey and representative of the CSCE Minsk group.
March 27 - April 3 - Occupation of Kalbadjar district of Azerbaijan by the armed forces of Armenia, which is situated outside of Nagomy Karabakh, as a result of this 60698 Azeries were driven out from their permanent residences.
March 31 - April - Resumption of the meeting in Geneva. Azerbaijan is breaking off the negotiations because of the occupation of Kalbadjar by Armenia.
April 6 - The Statement of the Chairman of the UN Security Council, condemning the occupation of the district of Kalbadjar.
April 30 - The adoption of the resolution 822 by UN Security Council, demanding the immediate withdrawal of all forces from the district of Kalbadjar and other early occupied districts of Azerbaijan.
June 3 - 4 - The Consultation of “the Minsk Nine’. Adoption of ‘schedule of urgent measures on implementation of the resolution 822 of the UN Security Council”.
June 17 - The arrangement through the mediation of Russia on ceasing of bombardment of Agdam and Stepanakert.
June 26 - 28 - The armed forces of RA captured the city of Agdara of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
June 27 - The arrangement through mediation of Russia to cease hostilities, shelling and air bombardment for one week in the districts of Mardakert and Agdam
June 12 - The visit of Mr. Rafaelli to Baku. Yerevan and Stepanakert aiming at adoption of the schedule of the Minsk Group.
June 18 - 20 - The visit of the mediator mission of Russia to Baku.
June 23 - 24 - The occupation of the district of Agdam of Azerbaijan, which is situated outsde of Nagorny Karabakh, by the armed forces of Armenia, as a result 158000 Azeries were driven out from their permanent residences.
June 29 - The adoption of the resolution 853 of the UN Security Council, demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of occupation forces involved in the conflict from the district of Agdam and other recently occupied districts of the Azerbaijani Republic.
July 21 - August 12 - Consultations of OSCE Minsk Group. It was adopted “the schedule of urgent measures for implementing of the resolution 822 and 853 of the UN Security Council”.
August 11 - Attacks of the Armenian armed forces to the district centres of Fizuli and Jabrail.
August 18 - The declaration of the UN Security Council’s Chairman on complete, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the occupation forces from the districts of Fizuli, as well as Kalbadjar and Agdam and other recently occupied districts of the Azerbaijan Republic.
August 23 - The occupation of the district of Fizuli of Azerbaijan, situated outside of Nagorny Karabakh by the Armenian armed forces, as a result 152860 Azeries were driven out from their permanent residences.
August 25 - 26 - The Armenian armed forces occupied the district of Jabrail, situated outside of Nagorny Karabakh, as a result, 57125 Azeries were driven out from their permanent residences.
August 31 - The Armenian armed forces occupied the district of Gubadly of Azerbaijan, situated outside of Nagorny Karabakh, as a result; 31364 Azeries were driven out from their permanent residences.
September 21 - 28 - Negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group were held in Paris.
October 14 - The UN SC passed a resolution 874, calling on the parties “to obstain from any hostile acts and any interference or invasion, which could led to escalation of the conflict and undermine peace and security in the region”.
October 18 - 21 - Negotiations within the framework of the Minsk Group.
October 23 - Part of the military forQes of the Armeinian Republic assaulted the settlement of Horadiz with tanks. Having occupied this important transport unit, the Armenians cut off the district of Zangelan and part of none-occupied territory of Jabrail and Gubadly from their remaining part of the RepUblic.
October 28 - The military forces of Armenia occupied the rail road station of Minjivan.
October 1 - November 1 - The occupation of the district of Zangelan, Azerbaijan. situated outside of Nagornv Karabakh. as a result, 34924 Azeris were driven out from their permanent residences.
November 11 - The UN SC passed a resolution 884, demanding cease fire and hostility, unilateral withdrawal of occupation forces from the district of Zangelan and the city of Horadiz and withdrawal of occupation forces from other districts of Azerbaijan, captured recently.
November 20 - Firing of the mediator mission of Russia by the Armenian side. The declaration of A.Kozirev on this matter.
December 10 - The Armenian military forces launched an assault in the direction of district centre of Beylagan.
1994
January - March - Series of negotiations and consultations to reach an agreement on cease fire through the mediation of Russia and CSCE.
March 3 - Having broken off the next cease fire agreement, the Armenian troops resumed the hostilities.
March 31 - April 3 - Visit of the peace maker group of the Interparliamentary Assembly of CIS headed by Speaker of Kyrgizstan Supreme Council, together with Russian President’s representative, to Baku, Yerevan, and Nagorny Karabakh.
April 9 - 10 - The command of the Armenian Military Forces launched large scale assault in the direction of Terter during 33 days.
May 4 - 5 - The Bishkek meeting of the parliamentary leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the representatives of the both communities from Nagorny Karabakh. The “Bishkek protocol” was adopted.
May 9 - The defence ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the representatives of the Armenian separatist regime from Nagorny Karabakh signed a cease fire agreement.
May 12 - In the zone of conflict the regime of cease fire started functioning. Active hostilities on the line of the front came to an end.
May 19 - The CSCE Permanent Committee. It was passed a statement as a support for the agreement to strengthening of the cease fire regime.
June 27 - An agreement was signed by the parties as confirmation of their commitments on cease fire regime up to conclusion of the political agreement. The joint statement for to support this agreement was made by the leaders of mediator mission of Russia and the representative of the Minsk Conference.
August 28 - Unilateral statement of all sides involved in the conflict and confinnation of the commitments on observation of cease fire regime until the political agreement to be concluded.
September - November - Continuation of the negotiations between the competent representatives of the leaders involved in the conflict in Moscow.
December 5 - 6 - Meeting of Heads of CSCE member states and governments (Budapest, “Budapest Decision”). In accordance with the decision of the summit, it was established an institute of Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Conference; two stage structuring of the settlement process was completed; decision was taken on the OSCE peacekeeping operations after achievement of the political agreement.
1995
May - December - Series of negotiations within the frame work of OSCE Minsk Group on agreement for cession of the military conflict.
1996
January - November - Series of negotiations within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group on agreement for cessation of the military conflict.
December 2 - 3 - Meeting of the Heads of OSCE States and governments in Lisbon. In the statement of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office three principles of the settlement of the Anrienian-Azerbaijani conflict were formulated:
-territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and the Azerbaijani Republic;
-legal status of Nagorny Karabakh defined in the agreement based on self-determination which confers on Nagorny Karabakh the highest degree of self rule within Azerbaijan;
-guaranteed security for Nagorny Karabakh and its whole population, including mutual commitments to ensure compliance by all parties with the provisions of the settlement.
These principles were supported by 53 OSCE participating states, except Armenia.
1997
February 13 - A. Tuleyev, the Minister on cooperation with CJS states made a statement on the facts of illegal supply of the Russian weapons to Armenia worth of 270 billion of roubles
February 14 - An institute of “triple” Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Conference (Russia, USA and France).
March 4 - 7 - The Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation headed by Arif Rahimzade, the first deputy chairman of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) stayed in Moscow in order to find out the circumstances on the fact of supply of the Russian weapons to the Republic of Armenia.
March 14 - Appeal of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis to B.Yeltsin, the President of Russia, E.Stroyev, the Chairman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, G.Seleznev, the Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
April 2 - The report of Lev Rokhlin, the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the State Duma, on delivery of the Russian weapons to the republic of Armenia worth of one billion US dollars.
April 4 - Appeal of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis to B.Yeltsin, E.Stroyev and G.Seleznev.
April 1 - 5 - The next round of the negotiations within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group was held, after it the Armenian side refused to hold further negotiations on the basis of proposals made by the Co-Chairmen, worked out according to the nrincioles of the OSCE Lisbon Summit. |
