After the signing of Gyulistan and Turkmanchai treaties in 1813 and 1828 respectively, a very rapid mass resettlement of the Armenians in the Azerbaijani lands and the subsequent artificial territorial division took place.

Between 1905 and 1907 the Armenians carried out a series of large-scale massacres against the Azerbaijanis. The atrocities began in Baku and then extended over the whole of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani villages in the territory of present-day Armenia. Hundreds of settlements were destroyed and wiped from the face of the earth, and thousands of civilians were barbarically killed.

Taking advantage of the situation following the First World War and the February and October 1917 revolutions in Russia, the Armenians began to pursue the implementation of their plans under the banner of Bolshevism. Thus, under the watchword of combating counter-revolutionary elements, in March 1918 the Baku commune began to implement a plan aimed at eliminating the Azerbaijanis from the whole of the Baku province. Apart from Baku, solely because of their ethnic affiliation, the thousands of Azerbaijanis were annihilated also in the Shemakha and Guba districts, as well as in Karabakh, Zangezur, Nakhchivan, Lenkoran and other regions of Azerbaijan. In these areas, the civilian population was exterminated en masse, villages were burned and national cultural monuments were destroyed and obliterated.

Following the establishment of the Soviet rule in Armenia in late 1920, the Armenians were presented with a real opportunity to fulfill their age-old dream of creating an Armenian State on the territories of other nations. Over the 70-years of Soviet rule, the Armenians succeeded in expanding their territory at the expense of Azerbaijan and using every possible means to expel the Azerbaijanis from their lands. During this period, the aforementioned policy was implemented systematically and methodically. Thus, in 1920 the Armenians declared Zangezur and a number of other Azerbaijani lands to be part of the territory of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1923 they managed to secure the status of the autonomous province for the mountainous part of Karabakh within the Azerbaijan SSR. Thus, the artificial entity was created at the territory of Azerbaijan, while the Azerbaijani population living in the territory of Armenia at that time had not been granted similar rights.

On the pretext of resettling the Armenians coming from abroad, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted on 23 December 1947 and 10 March 1948 special decisions on the resettlement of collective farm workers and the other Azerbaijani population from the Armenian SSR to the Kura-Araks lowlands in the Azerbaijani SSR. Under these decisions, during the period between 1948 and 1953 more than 150,000 Azerbaijanis were forcibly resettled from their historical homelands - the mountainous regions of Armenia - to the then waterless steppes of Mugan and the Mil plateau.

The current stage of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan may be regarded as having formally begun on 20 February 1988, when the Soviet of the People's Deputies of the Upper Garabagh Autonomous Region ("Nagorno-Karabakh") adopted a decision to petition to the Supreme Soviets of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Armenian SSR for the transfer of the province from the former to the latter.

Before the adoption of this decision, namely already at the end of 1987, the Azerbaijanis became subject of attacks in Khankendi (during the Soviet period - Stepanakert) and Arme-nia resulted in a flood of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons.

On 22 February 1988 near the settlement of Askeran on the Khankendi-Aghdam highway, the Armenians opened fire on a peaceful demonstration by the Azerbaijanis protesting against the above-mentioned decision of the Soviet of the People's Deputies of the Upper Garabagh Autonomous Region ("Nagorno-Karabakh"). Two Azerbaijani youths lost their lives in consequence, becoming the first victims of the conflict.

On 26-28 February 1988 twenty-six Armenians and Azerbaijanis were killed as a result of the disturbances in Sumgait. It is notable that one of the leading figures in these events was a certain Edward Grigorian, an Armenian and native of Sumgait, who was directly involved in the killings and violence against the Armenians and the pogroms in the Armenian neighborhoods. By decision of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of the Azerbaijan SSR dated 22 December 1989, Grigorian was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. The Court found Grigorian to be one of the organizers of unrest and massacres. Depositions by witnesses and victims show that he had a list of flats inhabited by the Armenians and, together with three other Armenians, called for reprisals against the Armenians, in which he took part personally. His victims (all Armenians) identified Grigorian as one of the organizers and active figures in the violence. In fact, events in Sumgait, being necessary to the Armenian leadership as a means of launching an extensive anti-Azerbaijani campaign and justifying the ensuing aggressive actions against Azerbaijan, had been planned and prepared in advance.           

In 1988-1989 more than 200,000 Azerbaijanis were forced to live Armenia. During the ethnic cleansing at least 216 Azerbaijanis were killed.   

On 20 January 1990 the Soviet troops were brought into Baku to suppress the popular protests against the unjust and prejudiced policy pursued by the leadership of the former USSR, as well as the incompetent performance of the local leadership. As a result, hundreds of the capital residents were killed or wounded, mutilated and subjected to various forms of physical pressure.

In 1991 central law-enforcement agencies of the then USSR apprehended dozens of the Armenian armed groups that operated outside Upper Garabagh. Thus, the Chaykend village of the Khanlar district of Azerbaijan was turned by the Armenian armed groups into a criminal hub from which they bombed and shelled surrounding villages and roads, terrorizing the local Azerbaijani population. From 1989 to 1991, in Chaykend and adjacent areas only 54 people fell victim to the Armenian armed gro-ups. In 1992 Azerbaijan regained its control over the Goranboy district.

At the end of 1991 and the beginning of 1992 the conflict turned into a military phase. Taking advantage of the political instability as a result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and internal squabbles in Azerbaijan, Armenia initiated with the external military assistance combat operations in Upper Garabagh. The most serious crimes of concern to the international community, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, constituting the violation of peremptory norms of international law, have been committed by Armenians during the conflict in and around the Upper Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In February 1992, an unprecedented massacre was committed against the Azerbaijani population in the town of Khojaly. This bloody tragedy, which became known as the Khojaly genocide, involved the extermination or capture of the thousands of Azerbaijanis; the town was razed to the ground. Over the night from 25 to 26 February 1992 the Armenian armed forces with the help of the infantry guards regiment ¹ 366 of the former USSR implemented the seizure of Khojaly - a small town situated in the Upper Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the total area of 0.94 sq. km. and the population before the conflict of 23,757.

The inhabitants of Khojaly remained in the town before the tragic night (about 2500 people) tried to leave their houses after the beginning of the assault in the hope to find the way to the nearest place populated by the Azerbaijanis. But these plans have failed. Invaders destroyed Khojaly and with particular brutality, which violated every norm of common sense, implemented carnage over its peaceful population.

Brutal annihilation of hundreds of blameless inhabitants of Khojaly was one of the most heinous crimes during the armed conflict in and around the Upper Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Armenian armed forces and foreign military units spared virtually none of those who had been unable to flee Khojaly and the surrounding area. As a result, 613 persons were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. 1,275 inhabitants were taen hostage, while the fate of 150 persons remains un-known to this day. In the course of the tragedy 487 inhabitants of Khojaly were severely mai-med, including 76 children not yet of age. 6 families were completely wiped out, 26 children lost both parents, and 130 children one of their parents. Of those who perished, 56 persons were killed with especial cruelty: by burning alive, scalping, beheading, gouging out of eyes, and bayoneting of pregnant women in the abdomen.

Armenian officials deny their responsibility for the crimes committed during the conflict, including against the population of Khojaly, airily falsifying facts and sharing own interpretations of them, which deviate not only from reality but also from elementary logic. Nevertheless, even the subtlest propaganda will never manage to disprove the facts that speak of a situation diametrically opposite to that represented by the Armenian side.

Apart from the considerable information in possession of the law-enforcement agencies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the responsibility of Armenia is documented also by numerous independent sources and eyewitnesses of this tragedy.

Thus, as Thomas Goltz reported, "the attackers killed most of the soldiers and volunteers defending the women and children. They then turned their guns on the terrified refugees" ("Armenian soldiers massacre hundreds of fleeing families", The Sunday Times, 1 March 1992).

According to Reuters, though "the Republic of Armenia reiterated denials that its militants had killed 1,000 people in the Azerbaijani-populated town of Khojaly last week and had massacred men, women and children fleeing the carnage across snow-covered mountain passes", "but dozens of bodies scattered over the area lent credence to Azerbaijani reports of a massacre ("Massacre by Armenians being reported", The New York Times, 3 March 1992).

In view of The Times, "more than sixty bodies, including those of women and children, have been spotted on hillsides in Upper Garabagh, confirming claims that Armenian troops massacred Azeri refugees (Anatol Lieven, "Massacre uncovered", The Times, 3 March 1992).

In response to misrepresentation by the Armenian side, Executive Director of the Human Rights Watch/Helsinki Holly Cartner made clear that the Armenians bore direct responsibility for the civilian deaths in Khojaly, while no evidence supported the argument of the Armenian side that Azerbaijani forces had obstructed the flight of, or had fired on Azerbaijani civilians (Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, 24 March 1997).

Congressman Dan Burton in his speech in the US House of Repre-sentatives on 17 Feb-ruary 2005 pointed out the following: "for years a number of distinguished Members of this House have come to the Floor of this Chamber every April to commemorate the so-called Armenian Genocide - the exact details of which are still very much under debate today almost 90 years after the events. Ironically and tragically, none of these Members has ever once mentioned the ethnic cleansing carried out by the Armenians during the Armenia-Azerbaijan war which ended a mere decade ago. Khojaly was a little known small town in Azerbaijan until February 1992. Today it no longer exists, and for people of Azerbaijan and the region, the word "Khojaly" has become synonymous with pain, sorrow, and cruelty. On February 26, 1992, the world ended for the people of Khojaly when Armenian troops supported by a Soviet Unions 366 motor-rifle regiment did not just attack the town but they razed it to the ground. In the process the Armenians brutally murdered 613 people, annihilated whole families, captured 1275 people, left 1,000 civilians maimed or crippled, and another 150 people unaccounted for in their wake... This savage cruelty against innocent women, children and the elderly is unfathomable in and of itself but the senseless brutality did not stop with Khojaly. Khojaly was simply the first. In fact, the level of brutality and the unprecedented atrocities committed at Khojaly set a pattern of destruction and ethnic cleansing that Armenian troops would adhere to for the remainder of the war…".

In his book "Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through peace and war" Thomas de Waal makes references to words of the Armenian militaries, who in fact acknowledge their responsibility for crimes committed in Khojaly. Thus, "an Armenian police officer, Major Valery Babayan, suggested revenge as a motive. He told the American reporter Paul Quinn-Judge that many of the fighters who had taken part in the Khojali attack "originally came from Sumgait and places like that" (See Paul Quinne-Judge, "Armenians, Azerbaijanis tell of terror; Behind an alleged massacre, a long trail of personal revenge", Boston Globe, 15 March 1992). But the most important was that the current Minister of Defense Serzh Sarkisian said of what had had happened: "before Khojali, the Azerbaijanis thought that they were joking with us, they thought that the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. We were able to break that [stereotype]. And that's what happened. And we should also take into account that amongst those boys were people who had fled from Baku and Sumgait". As Thomas de Waal sums up, "Sarkisian's account throws a different light on the worst massacre of the Karabakh war, suggesting that the killings may, at least in part, have been a deliberate act of mass killing as intimidation" ("Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through peace and war" (New York & London: New York University Press, 2003)), pp. 169-172).

The facts mentioned above confirm that the intentional slaughter of the Khojaly town civilians on 25-26 February 1992, including children, elderly and women, was directed to their mass extermination only because they were Azerbaijanis. The Khojaly town was chosen as a stage for further occupation and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijani territories, striking terror into the hearts of people and creating panic and fear before the horrifying massacre.

There can not be true, long-term, sustainable peace without justice, without respect for human dignity, human rights and freedoms. This belief has been affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly, almost half century ago, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which apart from proclaiming that "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world", quite correctly pointed out that "disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind" (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, GA res. 217 A (III), 10 December 1948. For text see UN Centre for Human Rights, Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments, ST/HR/1/Rev.5, vol. 1 (First Part), New York & Geneva, UN 1994, pp. 1-7, at p. 1).

The contemporary Azerbaijani statehood takes its roots back from the Kingdom of Caucasian Albania. The area presently known as Nagorno-Karabakh (Mountainous Karabakh) was a part of that Kingdom since its formation. According to the Antic sources there were 26 tribal unions in Albania, ethnic composition of which was autochthonous Caucasian and Turkic. Albania with its autocephalous church possessed a rich and unique culture, where alphabet in use was composed of 52 letters. In a year 313 A.D. Christianity was confirmed as a state religion in Albania. Turbulent situation did not let it to keep its independence for a long time. In a year 705 A.D. the Kingdom was totally subordinated to the Arab Khalifat. After this, the Khalifat having an alliance with Armenians against Byzantium, with the aim of elimination of the close relations between Albania and Byzantium, subjugated Albanian Church to the Armenian Grigorian Church.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Karabakh always was part of the state formations existed in the territory of present Azerbaijan led by Turkic Muslim dynasties and inhabited by Turkic speaking people.
18th century was marked with an establishment of the Karabakh Khanate, which was headed by the Turkic (Azerbaijani) dynasty of Djavanshirs. This was the Azerbaijani Khanate ruled by the hereditary dynastic tradition of Azerbaijani nobles, predominantly populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis.
A rule of Russian Empire was imposed on the Khanate after the signature of the Treaty of Kurakchay (1805) between the Khan of Karabakh and the Russian Empire. After the take-over of the overall Caucasian region, the Russian Empire pursued divide et impera policy through different means with a view to establishing and strengthening its total control. Enforced change of demographic situation in the region by massive resettlement of the Armenians to Karabakh from Persia and the Ottoman Empire was an extensive package of measures of such kind. After the Russo-Iranian (1806-1813, 1826-1828) and Russo-Ottoman (1828-1829) wars the ethnic composition of the region was substantially changed. Only during the period of 1828-1830 more than 40.000 Armenians from Persia and 84.600 from Ottoman Empire were settled to Azerbaijan.
In 1828, by the order of the Russian Emperor, an Armenian Oblast was formed in the territories of occupied Azerbaijani Khanates (Irevan and Nakhchivan). This was done with the aim of creating a buffer zone in the backyard of the Ottoman Empire and to divide the Turkic speaking band into separate parts. Abolition of the Albanian Church by the Russian Czar in 1836 resulted in ultimate Grigorianization (Armenization) of the Albanian population.

1918
May 28 - Declaration of independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR). On the same day the independence of the Republic of Armenia was declared;
May 29 - The government of ADR yielded the town of Irevan (presently Yerevan, the 30% of population were people of different ethnicities, including Armenians, whereas the 70% majority were Azerbaijanis) to the Government of the Republic of Armenia, which had declared its independence, but had no political center.
June 4 - The Batum Peace Treaty between the Ottoman Empire and the three South-Caucasian republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia). The Ottoman Empire was the first state, which recognized independence of the South-Caucasian republics. According to the Treaty on the Armenian side signed by the Prime Minister of the Dashnak Government, the borders of Armenia have been defined and consequently the total area of this state was specified, as 10.000 sq. km. composed of Erivan and Echmiadzin districts with 400.000 residents. Naturally Karabakh was the part of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic;
June-July - Contrary to the agreed terms of peaceful and good neighborly relations, Republic of Armenia began the large-scale aggression against Azerbaijan. Occupation of the town of Nakhchivan, massive attacks on Azerbaijani villages of Zangezur and Karabakh resulted in devastation of 115 villages and killing of 7729 Azerbaijani civilians. Around 50.000 people were displaced from their homelands;

1920
January 11 - De-facto recognition of independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the Supreme Council of the Allied Nations;
April 27 - Occupation of Azerbaijan by the 11th Red Army of Soviet Russia;
April 28 - Azerbaijan Democratic Republic ceased its existence and the Soviet rule was established in Azerbaijan;

1921
July 5 - The Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Russia (bolshevik) decided: "Proceeding from the necessity to maintain peace between Moslems and Armenians, economic ties between Highland and Lowland Karabakh, its uninterrupted ties with Azerbaijan, to keep Mountainous Karabakh within the Azerbaijan SSR and to grant broad regional autonomy."
At the same time with granting the right of self-rule to the Armenians of the Mountainous Karabakh, predominantly Azerbaijani populated regions of Zangezur and part of Kazakh district (in total 9.000 km?) was given to Armenia. In total, 20.000 km? Azerbaijani territories had been given to Armenia in the Soviet years;

1923
July 7 - Decree of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan SSR on "Formation of the Autonomous Region in the Mountainous Karabakh with an administrative center in Khankendi" (The name of the town was renamed from Khankendi to Stepanakert after Stepan Shaumian, famous bolshevik leader, in September 1923). At the same time, three hundred thousands of Azerbaijanis who have lived in compact settlements in Armenia were refused even cultural autonomy by the governments of both the USSR and the Armenian SSR.

1948-1953
Azerbaijani population of Armenia always lived under pressure and this resulted in massive organized deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia. According to official data, more than fifty thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia were resettled in the Kur-Araz lowlands regions of Azerbaijan between the years of 1948-1953;

1987
November 18 - The statement of A. Aganbegian, the Kremlin counselor, on expediency of uniting Mountainous Karabakh with the Armenian SSR. This statement played a crucial role in firing national hatred and fomenting the conflict;
November-December - Demonstrations calling to annex the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (hereinafter - NKAR) of the Azerbaijan SSR to the Armenian SSR were held in Yerevan (Armenia);

1988
January - Massive deportation of Azerbaijanis living in the Armenian SSR to Azerbaijan. By decision of the authorities, these refugees were settled in Baky and Sumgayit;
February - First victims of the conflict: two civilian Azerbaijanis were killed in Askeran (Nagorno-Karabakh);
February 28-29 - Massive disorders in Sumgayit took place. As a result 32 people were killed of different ethnicity, including Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Russians. The group of criminals was led by ethnic Armenian Eduard Grigorian who personally killed 5 Armenians and raped 6 Armenian women;
July 18 - The enlarged meeting of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR confirmed NKAR as an integral part of the Azerbaijan SSR;
November 27-29 - As a result of pogroms against Azerbaijani civilians in the cities of Gugark, Spitak and Stepanavan of the Armenian SSR, 33 people were killed;
December - More than 220.000 ethnic Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homelands in the Armenian SSR;

1989
July 29 - The railway link from Azerbaijan to Armenia was closed because of the attacks to the trains in the territory of Armenia. Beginning of the isolation of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan by Armenia;
December 1 - The Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR passed a resolution "on reunification of the Armenian SSR and NKAR"; thus in violence of all basic norms and principles of international law, Armenia officially declared its claim against the territorial integrity of the neighboring state;

1990
January 13 - Disarmament of the Baky police by the order of USSR Interior Office. Due to this, following next days (13-16 January) it was impossible to prevent disorders in Baky;
January 20 - The Soviet Army invaded Baky and massacred hundreds of local civilians. Children, women and elderly people were the first victims of this vandalism. Official statistics claims around 150 people died, 700 injured;

1991
September 2 - Armenians declared the establishment of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)" in the territory of Mountainous Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The illegal armed groups of about 15.000 people were formed as a "self-defense forces of NKR";
September 23 - Meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Zheleznovodsk (Russia) mediated by the Russian and Kazakhstan Presidents. An agreement was reached to settle the conflict in a peaceful way;
October-November - In despite of the reached agreement, Armenian armed forces launched massive attacks against Azerbaijani population of the Khodjavand/Martuni and Hadrut districts of the NKAR. About 30 villages were occupied and devastated and inhabitants were driven out of their homes;
November 20 - Armenian terrorists opened a fire at the civilian helicopter "MI-8", which was carrying a group of high ranking people from Russia and Kazakhstan and senior leadership of Azerbaijan near the village of Garakend of the Khodjavand district (NKAR). The murder of 22 people was an end of the first attempt for the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict undertaken in Zheleznovodsk and gave an impetus to further escalation of violence;

1992
January 30-31 - The second meeting of the CSCE Council in Prague. Azerbaijan and Armenia got admitted to the CSCE;
February 25-26 - A while after the accession of Armenia to the CSCE, the armed forces of this state committed an act of genocide against civilian population of Khojali, Azerbaijani town within the former NKAR. With substantial support of the regiment #366 of Russia (deployed in Khankendi), the Armenian army brutally killed 613 people (among them, 63 children, 106 women, 70 elders) and destroyed this town. 487 people were wounded (including 76 children); 1275 persons were taken as hostages; 150 people are still missing;
February 28 - 7th meeting of the OSCE Committee of Senior Officials in Prague. It called the parties to establish a cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan without delay, respect inviolability of internal, as well as external borders, which can only be changed by peaceful means and with common consent, and refuse from all territorial claims, including abstinence from all the hostile propaganda;
End of February - Removal of the 366th rifle regiment of the Russian armed forces from Khankendi to Russia and illegal transfer of 25 tanks, 87 armored infantry fighting vehicles, 28 armored vehicles, 45 artillery mortar systems to the Armenian separatists;
March 11 - The declaration of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expressing its deep concern about recent reports of indiscriminate killings and outrages, and firm condemnation of the violence and attacks directed against the civilian populations in the Nagorno-Karabakh area of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
March 24 - First additional Helsinki meeting of the CSCE Council. Decision to convene a conference on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the CSCE;
May 7 - Meeting of the Heads of States of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Tehran with mediation of Iran. Meeting was devoted to the normalization of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the peaceful settlement of the conflict. The Heads of States signed a communique at the end of the meeting;
May 8 - At the same time with signing of the communique in Tehran Armenia occupied the Shusha district of NKAR (91.7 % population of which was Azerbaijanis). As a result of the occupation of Shusha region more than 20 thousand of Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homeland;
May 17 - While discussions on peaceful settlement of the conflict in the meeting of the Senior Officials Committee of the CSCE in Helsinki were going on, armed forces of Armenia occupied Lachin region. As a result of this occupation 63.341 Azerbaijani civilians were forced to leave their homes;
September 19 - Agreement on cessation of all military actions for two months period (with later prolongation clause) was reached in Sochi (Russia) by Defense Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan;
December 9-12 - Violating the agreement reached in Sochi, Armenia occupied 8 villages of Zangilan district of Azerbaijan;

1993
March 27-April 3 - At the same time with the peace talks in Geneva, Armenia occupied Kalbadjar district of Azerbaijan. 60.698 Azerbaijanis were driven out of their permanent residences;
April 6 - The President of the UN Security Council made a statement condemning the occupation of Kalbadjar;
April 15 - The declaration of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The CM expressed its serious concerns on escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and especially the extension of the combat zone to the Kelbadjar district of the Republic of Azerbaijan and endorsed the demand of the President of the UN Security Council for the immediate cessation of all hostilities and calls for the withdrawal of all forces which endanger the peace and security of the region;
April 25-29 - The Organization of Islamic Conference adopted a resolution strongly condemning the recent Armenian offensive against Azerbaijan and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories;
April 30 - Adoption of the resolution #822 by the UN Security Council, demanding immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from the Kelbadjar and other recently occupied areas of Azerbaijan;
June 11 - The Statement of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC): "We strongly support UN SC Resolution #822, which must be implemented fully and without delay by all countries and parties to the conflict. We call for the immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of all occupying forces from the Kelbadjar and other recently occupied districts of Azerbaijan";
July 23 - Occupation of the Agdam district of Azerbaijan by Armenia, immediately after the visit of Mr. M. Rafaelli, the chairman of the Minsk Conference of the OSCE. 158.000 Azerbaijani civilians were forcefully displaced from their homes;
July 24 - Statement by the Chairman of the CSCE Minsk Conference on the offensive on and reported seizure of Agdam city (Azerbaijan);
July 29 - Adoption of the resolution #853 of the UN Security Council, which demanded "the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces involved from the district of Agdam and other recently occupied districts of the Republic of Azerbaijan";
August 18 - The statement of the President of the UN Security Council on full, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Agdam district and other recently occupied districts of Azerbaijan.
August 23-26 - Despite the mentioned warnings, Armenia, continuing its aggression, occupied Fizuli and Jabrail districts of Azerbaijan. As a result, 209.985 Azerbaijani civilians were forcefully displaced from their homelands;
August 25-26 - Armenia ignores the request of the Chairman-in-office of the CSCE addresses to the Armenian President L. Ter-Petrosian on not advancing the armed forces for occupation of Gubadly and Zangilan regions of Azerbaijan;
August 31 - The occupation of the Gubadly district of Azerbaijan by the Armenian troops. As a result, 31.364 Azerbaijani civilians were displaced from their homes;
October 14 - Adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution #874, which called for "immediate implementation of the reciprocal and urgent steps provided for in the CSCE Minsk Group's Adjusted timetable, including the withdrawal of forces from recently occupied territories";
October 28-November 1 - Occupation of the Horadiz town and Zangilan district of Azerbaijan. 34.924 Azerbaijani civilians had to flee and leave their homes;
November 11 - Adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution #884, which condemned the occupation of Zangilan district and the Horadiz town, attacks on civilians and bombardments of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and demanded the unilateral withdrawal of occupying forces from the Zangilan district and Horadiz, and the withdrawal of occupying forces from other recently occupied areas of the Azerbaijani Republic;

1994
January 10-11 - The Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council adopted a declaration where they "condemned the use of force for territorial gains. Respect for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia is essential to the establishment of peace, stability and cooperation in the region…";
April 15 - CIS Declaration on respect to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders of the participating states of the CIS. Armenia was the only CIS country, who did not join the declaration;
May 12 - Agreement on cease-fire entered into force;
June 9-10 - The Ministerial Meeting of the North Atlantic Council adopted a declaration where the ministers "agreed that implementation of an effective cease-fire and constructive negotiations in a spirit of compromise are essential to create the conditions necessary for a step-by-step peace process leading to a permanent solution, including the de-escalation of the conflict and the withdrawal of forces from areas occupied by force and the return of displaced persons to their homes in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions…";
December 5-6 - CSCE Budapest Summit. A decision on "Intensification of CSCE action in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" was adopted. In accordance with this document the institute of Co-Chairs of the Minsk Conference was established "to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion of a political agreement on cessation of the armed conflict, the implementation of which, will eliminate major consequences of the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk Conference". Thereby, the Budapest Summit adopted a two-stage legal framework of the settlement process: 1) first stage - elimination of consequences of the armed conflict by implementation of the agreement, i.e., full liberation of all occupied territories and ensuring return of IDPs to their homes; 2) second stage - convening Minsk Conference for final, comprehensive settlement of the conflict. The Budapest Summit also adopted a decision to establish an OSCE peacekeeping operation after the conclusion of the political agreement;

1995
Negotiations on elaboration of the agreement on cessation of the conflict.

1996
December 2-3 - OSCE Lisbon Summit. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office has made a statement supported by all (53) OSCE member states except Armenia, on three principles for the settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan: 1) territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic; 2) legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh defined in an agreement based on self-determination which confers on Nagorno-Karabakh the highest degree of self-rule within Azerbaijan; 3) guaranteed security for Nagorno-Karabakh and its whole population, including mutual obligations to ensure compliance by all the parties with the provisions of the settlement;

1997
January - An institute of "triple" Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Conference (Russia, USA and France) was introduced;
April 2 - The report of the Chairman of the Defense Committee of the State Duma, Mr. Lev Rokhlin on an illegal delivery of the Russian weapons to Armenia worth of one billion USD. Later on, Mr. Rokhlin got killed in unknown circumstances;
April 22 - Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a Resolution (1119) on the conflicts in Transcaucasus, where it stressed the settlement of the conflicts in the region has to be on the basis of the principles set out in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the 1990 Paris Charter:

i. inviolability of borders;
ii. guaranteed security for all peoples in the areas concerned, particularly through multinational peacekeeping forces;
iii. extensive autonomy status for Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh to be negotiated by all the parties concerned;
iv. right of return of refugees and displaced persons and their reintegration respecting human rights.

June 1 - The Co-chairmen introduced a "package plan" for the settlement of the conflict. The basic idea behind the proposal was to work in parallel negotiations on two core issues of the confrontation: withdrawal of the armed forces from occupied regions and elaboration of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Unlike Armenia, who refused this plan, Azerbaijan accepted the proposal with some exceptions;
September 19 - The Co-chairmen introduced "step-by-step" settlement plan. This plan envisaged two-staged conflict settlement according to the following scheme: On the first stage - withdrawal of occupying armed forces from six districts, which are outside of the former NKAO (except Lachin district), return of civilian population and restoration of the main communication links in the conflict area; on the second stage - definition of the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh as well as of Lachin and Shusha;
October 10 - Strasbourg Joint Statement of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia on supporting the plan for "step-by-step" settlement of the conflict;
L. Ter-Petrosian noted the importance of the step-by-step resolution of the conflict in his article "War or Peace". Later, he had to resign under the pressure of the political-military circles. The Prime Minister R. Kocharyan (a resident of the Mountainous Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and leader of separatists until before this appointment) became an acting President of the country. Short after his victory in the presidential elections, the position of Armenia on the settlement of the conflict became tougher.
Between 1997-2002, no meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group was held in full composition.

1998
April-May - Armenia officially declared about the renunciation of the consent of the former President of the Republic on the step-by-step settlement;
November 9 - The Co-chairmen brought forward a new plan for the settlement, called a "common state". Azerbaijani side refused to accept this proposal as a basis for the negotiations because of its inconsistence with the norms and principles of international law as well as the national legislation. Azerbaijan confirmed its readiness to resume negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group framework, on the basis of the previous proposal of the co-chairmen, on the step-by-step settlement plan;

1999-2002
Direct talks between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Up to date, they have met more than 20 times. No results have been achieved so far.

2002
March 8 - In search of the advancing the peace process, the Co-chairmen suggested to appoint Special Representatives of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia for negotiations on the conflict. The Special Representatives met three times during a year, twice in Prague - in May and July and once in Vienna - in November;
July 12 - In the final document of the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Committee, the EU reaffirmed its support to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as the basis for the peaceful solution of the conflict;
August 2 - The EU condemned holding of the so-called "presidential elections" in Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

2003
January 23 - An Enlarged Bureau of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers held a special session in Strasburg on the fulfillment of the obligations undertaken by Azerbaijan and Armenia to peacefully settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
January 30 - The Secretary General of the Council of Europe voiced regret at the recent declaration on "ethnic incompatibility between Armenians and Azerbaijanis", made by President Kocharian of Armenia. "Recalling dark pages of European history will never be a good electoral strategy", underlined Walter Schwimmer in reference to the upcoming presidential elections in Armenia, scheduled for 19 February.
February 19 - March 5 The presidential elections in Armenia.
first round - second round R. Kocharyan was elected as the president of the Republic of Armenia for his second term. The observers of OSCE/ODIHR, CE Parliamentary Assembly reported that the elections were held with serious irregularities.
June 19 - The coalition government of Armenia submitted its action plan for the next four years to the parliament. The section "Defense and Security" of this program states that, "as in previous years, the government sees the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem within peace negotiation process, emphasizing international recognition of the right of the "Artsakh" (Nagorno-Karabakh) people to self-determination and security guarantees of the population of the "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic". The very possibility of subordination of the "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" to Azerbaijan is ruled out."
During the presentation of the program, the Armenian Prime Minister A.Markaryan, speaking about the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, said: "Karabakh must not be part of Azerbaijan, must have a common border with Armenia and that the self-determination of the Karabakh Armenians must be recognized by the world".
August 19 - During monitoring held by the Office of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the Tovuz region of Azerbaijan the Armenian side again broke ceasefire regime, as a result of which the monitoring process was immediately stopped. Unfortunately, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprczyk refused to mention this fact in his information report.
September - Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group from Russia N.Gribkov was replaced by Y.Merzlyakov. During his visit to the region he held series of meetings with Azerbaijani officials on September 3-5.
October 15 - The presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
Ilham Aliyev was elected as the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan for his first term.
December 11 - The first meeting of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. I.Aliyev with his Armenian counterpart in Geneva.

2004
April 16 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairmen in Prague.
April 28-30 - The meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Warsaw.
May 12-13 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairmen in Strasbourg.
June 21 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairmen in Prague.
June 28/29 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with the presence of the Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Abdullah Gul in Istanbul
August 3-12 - Command staff exercises conducted by Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan in its statement drew the attention of the international community to the fact that conducting of these exercises is another obvious evidence of the aggression by the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, and of occupation of its territories.
August 8 - "elections" to the "local self-government bodies" were held by the authorities of the Armenian separatist regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
In the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan it was noted that such kind of "elections" may not pretend to have a single piece of legitimacy because they are in complete contradiction with the norms of international law, as well as with the national legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, since they are being held in conditions of continuing aggression, occupation and forceful expulsion of one third of the indigenous population of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Azerbaijani origin.
August 30 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairmen in Prague.
September 15 - The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the CIS Summit in Astana. The President of Armenia Robert Kocharian requested to delay the following Prague meeting (25th of October 2004) of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia for need to analyze and comprehend the results of the previous four meetings of FMs.
October 14 - Azerbaijan requested the inclusion of an additional item in the agenda of the fifty-ninth session of the UN General Assembly, entitled "The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan".
October 29 - Acting on the recommendations of its General Committee, the UN General Assembly decided to include an additional item on its current agenda entitled "The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan". It took that decision by a recorded vote of 43 in favour to 1 against (Armenia) with 99 abstentions.
November 19 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Berlin.
November 23 - Additional item #163 "The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan" was debated on the 59th session of UN General Assembly. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan gave a speech concerning the content of the additional item and illegal activities of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
December 5 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Cochairmen in Sofia.
December 6-7 - The meeting of the 12th OSCE Ministerial Council in Sofia. The adoption of the Ministerial Council statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which "commend the progress achieved in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2004, in particular, the three meetings of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan under the auspices of the Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group and welcome the creation of the so-called "Prague Process", through which four meetings between the Foreign Ministers of both countries allowed the methodical re-examination of all the parameters of a future settlement".
December 9 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels in the framework of NATO EAPC Ministerial.

2005
January 11 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen in Prague.
January 25 - Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution 1416. The resolution reaffirms "that independence and secession of a regional territory from a state may only be achieved through a lawful and peaceful process based on democratic support by the inhabitants of such territory and not in the wake of an armed conflict leading to ethnic expulsion and the de facto annexation of such territory to another state." The Assembly calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to make use OSCE Minsk Process and actively submit to each other via the Minsk Group their constructive proposals for the peaceful settlement of the conflict. David Atkinson, special PACE Rapporteur on Nagorno-Karabakh, the author of the resolution and recommendations, responding to the question of the BBC correspondent on the principle of territorial integrity vs. the principle of self-determination in resolution of the conflict, stated that principle of self-determination can not be applied to the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, because Azerbaijan stands for its territorial integrity, recognized by international community.
January 30 - February 5 - The visit by the "OSCE Minsk Group Fact-Finding Mission on Settlements in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan" to the occupied territories - Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fizuli, Zangilan, Gubadly, Kalbajar and Lachin - of Azerbaijan.
February - The OSCE dispatch Fact-Finding Mission to investigate the Armenian illegal settlements in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
March 2 - The meeting of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Prague.
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs officially presented a report of the OSCE Minsk Group Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). In their joint statement Co-Chairs pointed that "the mission found evidence of the presence of settlers in the territories examined" and recommended "that any further settlement of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan should be discouraged". They urged "the parties to accelerate negotiations toward a political settlement in order, inter alia, to address the problem of the settlers and to avoid changes in the demographic structure of the region, which would make more difficult any future efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement". In his comments Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammedyarov considered the FFM report as objective in general. The FFM determined about 16,000 settlers in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan outside the Nagorno-Karabakh region. "It is clear that the longer they remain in the occupied territories, the deeper their roots and attachments to their present places of residence will become. Prolonged continuation of this situation could lead to a fait accompli that would seriously complicate the peace process" said Co-Chairs' statement.
April 15 - Continuation of "Prague process" in London. Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan and Armenia met separately with the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to discuss further steps to resolve the conflict. The mediators - France, Russia and the US declared that the peace process has entered a "sensitive juncture, where a first step towards an agreement could be at hand in the framework of the discussions between the parties."
April 27 - The meeting of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Frankfurt.
In the threshold of the Council of Europe's Summit in Warsaw Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Robert Kocharyan of Armenia met at the Belvedere palace in the presence of the OSCE Minsk group Co-chairs, and Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Michel Barnier of France. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov has briefed journalists on the three-hour meeting. "Despite certain progress has been reached, there is still a need for further discussion," he said. The Minister added that after the meeting the Presidents have assigned the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to continue negotiating some important issues other than those agreed within the Prague process. According to him, the Co-chairs will also continue their activities. "Generally, no format of the talks but their result is important for Azerbaijan, in other words, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored," the Minister said.
June 17 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Paris.
June 19 - "Elections" to the "parliament" were held by the authorities of the Armenian separatist regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan noted that such kind of "elections" may not pretend to have a single piece of legitimacy because they are in complete contradiction with the norms of international law, as well as with the national legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, since they are being held in conditions of continuing aggression, occupation and ethnic cleansing. It states that such activities by Armenian side do not fit with the spirit of negotiation process, esp. when there is a hope for positive step forwards and that continuous peace cannot be achieved without normalization of life and peaceful co-existence and cooperation of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
July 5 - The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly considered a report on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict at its session held in Washington. The report prepared by the Assembly's special envoy on the conflict Goran Lennmarker from Sweden. In his comments Mr. Lennmarker stressed that "the conflict is not frozen. Several people are killed along the line-of-contact every year". He added: "there is no alternative to a peaceful solution - in fact there is an urgent need to solve the conflict in order to end the personal, economic, and social suffering on both sides of this conflict". Mr. Lennmarker suggested basing a solution on experiences from Europe, where democracy and integration are fundamental components in securing a lasting peace. The report points out the fundamentals of ending of occupation, the return of refugees and IDPs as well as democracy and minority rights. Swedish diplomat recommends autonomy solution referring to an example of the Aland islands.
July 10-12 - The OSCE Group Co-Chairs (Ambassadors Steven Mann of the U.S., Yuriy Merzlyakov of Russia and Bernard Fassier of France) visited Azerbaijan and Armenia. In Azerbaijan they met with President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov as well as with Nizami Bakhmanov, the head of the expelled Azerbaijani community from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The Co-chairs told journalists at a press conference on July 12 that they discussed with President and Foreign Minister the principles, which could have become a basis for the future peace treaty. Mediators pointed out that much would depend on the two leaderships' political will and the peoples' desire.
During the meetings Co-Chairs discussed, among other issues, an Azerbaijani initiative to open a road network Agdam-Khankendi-Shusha-Lachin-Goris-Nakhichevan which would open communication line from Azerbaijan to Armenia and Nakhichevan enclave of Azerbaijan as well as Turkey. Nizami Bkhamanov positively responded to an idea of launching a dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov commented Co-Chairs' meetings in Baku as "effective and fruitful." But he said that "negotiations were rather difficult and complicated." "I can't say that agreements have been reached. At all the meetings Azerbaijan has demonstrated a constructive position. Armenia also should occupy a constructive position, otherwise all opportunities will be missed," said Azimov. Azimov pointed out that Armenia tries to bring "new elements," which are not subject of the negotiations. "There are great chances to achieve peace right now and the opposing party can lose them. I urge Armenia to use this chance," said Azimov. "Azerbaijani occupied territories must be given back. Armenia must not claim to Azerbaijani territories under the pretext of the corridor (linking Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan). Armenia can use the road passing through the Lachin corridor. But Lachin city cannot remain under occupation."
Opening of Agdam-Khankendi-Shusha-Lachin-Goris-Nakhichevan road will help to improve relationships and restore cooperation and confidence between people, said Azimov. He also stressed that the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region could be resolved only through joint efforts of Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh. "At present, part of people living in Nagorno Karabakh is Armenians, who arrived from abroad. Local Armenians are Azerbaijani citizens and Azerbaijanis must determine their status by themselves. For this purpose Azerbaijani population must return to the liberated territories and economic relationships and mutual confidence must be restored," said Azimov.
August 12 - In its Address to the voters, the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan notified of the start of functioning of Khankendi Constituency No. 122 and called all citizens of Azerbaijan of Armenian origin living in Khankendi, Shusha, Khojali, Khojavend and other settlements of Nagorno Karabakh regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, together with their countrymen to exercise their voting rights in Khankendi Constituency No. 122 and Shusha-Fuzuli-Khojali-Khojavend Constituency No. 124.
August 24 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Moscow.
August 26-27 - The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the CIS Summit in Kazan.
September 12 - The item entitled "The situation on the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was included into the agenda of the 60-th session of the UN General Assembly. On the same day the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held discussion on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in Paris. The PACE decided to follow further the process of honouring by two sides the decisions contained in the January 2005 PACE resolution on the conflict settlement.
September 14 - An international organization - International Crisis Group (ICG) working to prevent conflicts worldwide has issued report on Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict. ICG vice-president Alain Deletroz told at news conference in Baku that Armenia should not insist on the determination of the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, as disputes over the issue have considerably delayed the conflict resolution. "Armenia must withdraw from seven occupied Azerbaijani districts, refugees should return home, trust be restored between the two sides, and at last, the Karabakh status determined." Deletroz said that the activities to be carried out prior to the status determination will take at least 15-20 years. Deletroz said that just like all other international organizations, the ICG considers the Nagorno-Karabakh a part of Azerbaijan. "This is the legal aspect of the issue and there is no problem with it. The problem is that the Nagorno-Karabakh is de-facto in the hands of Armenians." The ICG project director on South Caucasus Sabin Frasier said the organization has welcomed the resumption of activity of the Khankandi district constituency in the Nagorno-Karabakh, which will allow ethnic Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to vote in the November parliament elections in Azerbaijan.
December 5 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in Ljubljana within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting.
December 5-6 - The meeting of the 13th OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana. The adoption of the Ministerial Council statement on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Group, which "takes note with satisfaction of the progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations through the "Prague Process" in 2005, and in particular the two meetings of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Warsaw and Kazan under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, and encourages the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to use the current promising window of opportunity in order to attain within the coming year significant achievements in the settlement of the conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk process."
December 16 - The visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to Azerbaijan.
December 16-20 - The reconnaissance trip of the High-Level Planning Group (HLPG) of the OSCE to Azerbaijan.

2006
January 18-19 - The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in London.
January 20-27 - The reconnaissance trip of the High-Level Planning Group (HLPG) of the OSCE to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
February 1 - The visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to Azerbaijan.

1. Arguments of Armenia

In order to justify the territorial claims of Armenia towards Azerbaijan, the officials of the former frequently raise a proposition, according to which Nagorny Karabakh has never been within the jurisdiction of independent Azerbaijan. The following arguments underlie this assertion:

Firstly, in the period when independent Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet Union Karabakh had not been within its jurisdiction, the evidence of which was the decision of the League of Nations that refused to recognize Azerbaijan because of its territorial claims to the Armenian populated Eastern Caucasus, including in particular Nagorny Karabakh, as well as the lack of efficient state control over its supposed territory and inability to ground the legitimacy of the frontiers of this territory.

Secondly, the legal cause for secession of Nagorny Karabakh from Azerbaijan in the process of disintegration of the USSR in 1991 and the establishment of the "Republic of Nagorny Karabakh". Thereby the special emphasis is placed on the provisions of the Law of the USSR "On the Procedures for Resolving Questions Related to the Secession of Union Republics from the USSR" of 3 April 1990, according to which in case of realization by the Union republic of the secession procedure provided for in this Law autonomous entities would acquire a right to decide independently the question of staying in the USSR or in the seceding republic, as well as to raise the question of their own state-legal status.

Thirdly, refusal by Azerbaijan to regard itself as a successor state to the USSR, and thus the lack of any reason to have pretensions to the frontiers of that period(2).

2. Arguments of Azerbaijan

2.1. Nagorny Karabakh in the context of consideration of a question regarding the admission of Azerbaijan and Armenia to the League of Nations

Following the entry of the British forces into Baku in 1918, general V.Thomson, who represented the Allied Powers, recognized Nagorny Karabakh together with the neighboring Zangezur uyezd under the administration of Azerbaijan. He confirmed the appointment by the Government of Azerbaijan of Khosrov Sultanov as a Governor of the Karabakh General-Governorship, of which these two regions were part. In 1919 the Armenian Assembly of Nagorny Karabakh recognized officially the authority of Azerbaijan.(3)

In 1918-1920 the Republic of Azerbaijan had diplomatic relations with a number of states. Agreements on the principles of mutual relations were signed with some of them; sixteen states established their missions in Baku.

On 12 January 1920 at the Paris Peace Conference the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers de-facto recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The head of the Azerbaijani Delegation at the Conference by a letter of 1 November 1920 requested the Secretary-General of the League of Nations to submit to the Assembly of the League an application for the admission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Organization.

The Secretary-General pointed out in his Memorandum of 24 November 1920 that the mandate of the Azerbaijani Delegation attending at the Paris Peace Conference derived from the Government which had been in power at Baku until April 1920. Thus, the attention in the Memorandum is distinctly paid to the fact that at the time of submission by the Azerbaijani Delegation of the application (1 November 1920) and the publication date of the Memorandum (24 November 1920) the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which issued the credentials to the Delegation, was not actually in power since April 1920. It was further noted in the Memorandum that this Government did not exercise the authority over the whole territory of the country.(4)

In this context, the most important part of the mentioned Memorandum of the Secretary-General of the League of Nations relates to "Juristic observations", which reminds of the conditions governing the admission of new Members to the Organization contained in Article 1 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, including the requirement to be a fully self-governing state.(5)

The relevant documents of the League of Nations completely disprove the statements of the Armenian side claiming that the League of Nations did not admit Azerbaijan because of its alleged territorial claims to the so-called Armenian-populated territories and the refusal to recognize the control of Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh. It is obvious actually that the state, considerable part of the territory of which was occupied by the time of consideration of its application in the League of Nations, and yet the Government that submitted this application was overthrown, could not be regarded as fully self-governing in terms of Article 1 of the Covenant of the League of Nations. Thus, these were just those conditions that prevented Azerbaijan from being admitted to the League of Nations.

At the same time, the League of Nations did not consider Armenia itself as a state and proceeded from the fact that this entity had no clear and recognized borders, neither status nor constitution, and its Government was unstable. As a result, the admission of Armenia to the League of Nations was voted down on 16 December 1920.(6)

2.2. Nagorny Karabakh within the Azerbaijan SSR

Along with the above-mentioned facts on the recognition by the Allied Powers of the authority of Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a proposition that Karabakh was not under the jurisdiction of independent Azerbaijan when it became part of the Soviet Union refuted also by the decision of the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), which owing to the territorial claims of Armenia did take up the problem several times and, at the meeting held on 5 July 1921, decided to retain Nagorny Karabakh within the Azerbaijan SSR. At the same time, the Azerbaijan SSR was recommended to confer Nagorny Karabakh a broader autonomy.(7)

On 13 October 1921 the Treaty of Friendship between the Armenia SSR, Azerbaijan SSR and Georgia SSR, on the one hand, and Turkey, on the other, was concluded in Kars with the participation of the RSFSR. In Article 5 of the Treaty the Governments of Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed their consent that "the Nakhichevan oblast … forms an autonomous territory under the protection of Azerbaijan".(8)

Transcaucasian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic (TSFSR) was established on 13 December 1922. The Constitution of the TSFSR confirmed that the Republic of Nakhichevan was an inseparable and constituent part of Azerbaijan in form of an autonomous unit. According to this Constitution, the status of autonomous republics and oblasts (Abkhazia, Ajaristan and South Ossetia) remained unchangeable.

Insofar as the mountainous part of Karabakh was officially recognized as an inseparable part of Azerbaijan, including by the Armenia SSR, neither the Treaty of Kars nor the Constitution of the TSFSR contained any reference to it.(9)

The next day after the adoption on 7 July 1923 of the first Constitution of the USSR, the Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR issued a Decree "On the Formation of the Autonomous Oblast of Nagorny Karabakh".

The status of Nagorny Karabakh as an autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan SSR was stipulated in the Constitutions of the USSR of 1936 and 1977.(10)

In accordance with the Constitutions of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, the legal status of NKAO was governed by the Law "On the Nagorny Karabakh Autonomous Oblast", which had been adopted by the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR on 16 June 1981.(11)

Under Article 78 of the USSR Constitution, the territory of a Union republic could not be altered without its consent. The borders between Union republics could be altered by mutual agreement of the Republics concerned, subject to approval by the USSR.(12) This provision was also incorporated in the Constitutions of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Armenia SSR.

In connection with the adoption in the late 1980-s of the illegal decisions aimed at the secession of NKAO from the Azerbaijan SSR and annexation of the region to the Armenia SSR, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and its Presidium considered on several occasions the situation with respect to the crisis in Nagorny Karabakh. All decisions adopted by the superior state body of the former USSR unequivocally recognize the inadmissibility of changing borders and the constitutionally established national-territorial division of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Armenia SSR.(13)

Thus, the whole process of separation of Nagorny Karabakh from the Azerbaijan SSR in favor of the Armenia SSR, formally started on 20 February 1988, was accompanied by the apparent violation of the USSR Constitution, and, therefore, caused no legal consequences whatsoever.

The correctness of this appraisal is circumstantially evidenced by the next attempt of the Armenian side to legalize the secession of Nagorny Karabakh, which was made on 2 September 1991. Unlike all previous decisions, the proclamation that day of the "Republic of Nagorny Karabakh" was grounded by the Law of the USSR "On the Procedures for Resolving Questions Related to the Secession of Union Republics from the USSR" of 3 April 1990.(14)

It is necessary first to note that the purpose of this Law was to regulate mutual relations within the framework of the USSR by establishing a specific procedure to be followed by Union republics in the event of their secession from the USSR. A decision by a Union republic to secede had to be based on the will of the people of the Republic freely expressed through a referendum, subject to authorization by the Supreme Soviet of the Union republic.

At the same time, according to this Law, in a Union republic containing autonomous republics, autonomous provinces and autonomous regions, the referendum had to be held separately in each autonomous unit, the people of which retained the right to decide independently the question of staying in the USSR or in the seceding Union republic, as well as to raise the question of their own state-legal status.

It is important to emphasize that the secession of a Union republic from the USSR could be regarded valid only after the fulfillment of complicated and multi-staged procedure and, finally, the adoption of the relevant decision by the Congress of the USSR People's Deputies.

However, until the Soviet Union ceased to exist as international person the mentioned Law was without legal effect, since no Union republic, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, had used the procedure for secession stipulated in it.

Until the Republic of Azerbaijan attained full independence and was recognized by the international community, the territory, on which the NKAO of the Azerbaijan SSR existed before 26 November 1991, had remained part of Azerbaijan.

2.3. State succession in respect of territory and boundaries in the context of restoration of the state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan

After the collapse of the USSR, the international legal doctrine of uti possidetis juris underlay the international, regional and national legitimation of boundaries of the newly independent states.

According to the doctrine of uti possidetis juris, from the time of attainment by the Republic of Azerbaijan of its independence, the former administrative borders of the Azerbaijan SSR, which included also the NKAO, are recognized as international and protected by international law. This understanding is also confirmed in the known resolutions of the UN Security Council on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.(15)

Regarding the proposition of the Armenian side that by proclaiming the restoration of the state independence of 1918-1920 and thus becoming the successor of the then ADR Azerbaijan allegedly forfeited a right to pretend to the borders of the Soviet period, the attention should be drawn to Article 11 of the Vienna Convention on Succession of States in Respect of Treaties, according to which "[a] succession of States does not as such affect: (a) a boundary established by a treaty….".(16) In other words, though this provision directly applies only to external boundaries of the former USSR established by international treaties, to which it was a party, it actually represents a conceptual international legal approach provided that an existing boundary continues to exist notwithstanding the succession, so that the change of sovereignty is powerless to undermine such boundaries which achieve permanence.(17)

Conclusion

1. Despite the apparent distortions made by the official Yerevan while interpreting the issue of consideration of the application by Azerbaijan for the admission to the League of Nations and passing over in silence the response of the League to the similar application by Armenia itself, the findings of this Organization cannot, nevertheless, serve as a basis for revision of the established territorial framework of the states. Otherwise, if to agree with the arguments of the Armenian side, then the international legal personality of Armenia will be prejudiced. 2. In accordance with the Constitution of the USSR, Nagorny Karabakh was an autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan SSR. Pursuant to the Constitutions of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, the legal status of the NKAO was governed by the Law "On the Nagorny Karabakh Autonomous Oblast" passed by the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR on 16 June 1981. 3. The proclamation on 2 September 1991 of the "Republic of Nagorny Karabakh" contradicted the Constitution of the USSR, according to which the territory of a Union republic could not be altered without its consent, while the borders between Union republics could be altered by mutual agreement of the Republics concerned, subject to approval by the USSR. At the same time, reference to the Law of the USSR "On the Procedures for Resolving Questions Related to the Secession of Union Republics from the USSR" of 3 April 1990 is groundless since the obligatory mechanism envisaged therein for drawing up the secession from the USSR was used by Azerbaijan neither before nor after 2 September 1991. 4. Autonomous oblast existed until 26 November 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted the Law on its abolition. 5. In accordance with the doctrine of uti possidetis juris, from the time of attainment by the Republic of Azerbaijan of its independence the former administrative borders of the Azerbaijan SSR, which included also the NKAO, are recognized as international and protected by international law. At the same time, it is important to note that the change of sovereignty as a result of the break up of the USSR and the state succession declared by the former Union republics were powerless to undermine their boundaries which achieved permanence.

*Tofig F. Musayev, LLM in International Human Rights Law, University of Essex.

For more information about the position of Armenia see the initial reports of this country under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN Documents E/1990/5/Add.36 and CCPR/C/92/Add.2; UN Document E/CN.4/2005/G/23 "Legal aspects for the right to self-determination in the case of Nagorno-Karabakh"; Speech by S.Sarkisyan, Minister of Defense of Armenia, at the parliamentary hearings on the problem of Nagorny Karabakh, 29-30 March 2005, IA "REGNUM": www.regnum.ru/news/437271.html

Tadeusz Swietochowski. Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition (New-York: Columbia University Press, 1995), pp. 75-76.

League of Nations. Memorandum by the Secretary General on the Application for the Admission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the League of Nations. Assembly Document 20/48/108, p.2 See also The Covenant of the League of Nations (1919), in Malcolm D.Edvans (ed.), Blackstone's International Law Documents (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 6th ed., 2003), pp. 1-7, at p. 1, Article 1.

League of Nations. Assembly Document 20/48/108, p. 4.

League of Nations. Annex 30 B. Future status of Armenia. Memorandum agreed to by the Council of the League of Nations, meeting in Paris on 11 April 1920. League of Nations Document 20/41/9, p. 27; See also Admission of new Members to the League of Nations. Armenia. Assembly Document 209, pp. 2-3; Assembly 251.

Extract from the Protocol of the plenary session of the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of 5 July 1921. For text see "To the history of formation of the Nagorny Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR.. 1918-1925: Documents and Materials" (Baku: Azerneshr, 1989), p. 92.

Treaty of Friendship between Armenia SSR, Azerbaijan SSR, Georgia SSR, on the one hand, and Turkey-on the other, concluded with the participation of the RSFSR in Kars, on 13 October 1921. Documents of foreign policy of the USSR, volume IV (Moscow: Gospolitizdat, 1960), p. 423, Article 5.

First Congress of Transcaucasian Soviets. Zakraykom RKP edition (Tiflis: Military Commissariat Press, 1923) p. 144.

Constitution of the USSR (Moscow, 1936), p.14, Article 24; Constitution of the USSR (Moscow, 1977), pp. 13-14, Article 87.

Law of the Azerbaijan SSR "On the Nagorny Karabakh Autonomous Oblast", 16 June 1981 (Baku: Azerneshr, 1987), p. 3, Article 3.

Constitution of the USSR (Moscow, 1977), p. 13.

Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On measures concerned with the appeals of the Union republics regarding the events in Nagorny Karabakh, in the Azerbaijan SSR and the Armenia SSR", 23 March 1988. Bulletin of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1988, № 13, pp. 27-28; Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On the decisions of the Supreme Soviets of the Armenia SSR and the Azerbaijan SSR on the question of Nagorny Karabakh", 18 July 1988. Bulletin of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1988, № 29, pp. 20-21; Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On inconsistency with the Constitution of the USSR of the acts on Nagorny Karabakh adopted by the Supreme Soviet of Armenia SSR on 1 December 1989 and 9 January 1990 ". Bulletin of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1990, № 3, p. 38.

Law of the USSR "On the Procedures for Resolving Questions Related to the Secession of Union Republics from the USSR", 3 April 1990. Bulletin of the Soviet of the USSR, 1990, №15, pp. 303-308.

Resolutions of the UN Security Council 822 of 30 April 1993, 853 of 20 July 1993, 874 of 14 October 1993, and 884 of 11 November 1993. For texts see UN web-site: www.un.org/Docs/scres/1993/scres93.htm

Vienna Convention on Succession of States in Respect of Treaties, 22 August 1978. For text see Evans (ed.), pp. 185-199, at p. 188.

Malcolm N. Shaw, "The Heritage of States: The Principle of Uti Possidetis Juris Today", 77 The British Yearbook of International Law 1996 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), pp. 75-154, at p. 90.

Resolutions Adopted by the United Nations Organization

General Assembly

Resolution 62/243 April 25, 2008

Resolution 60/285 September 7, 2006

Resolution 48/114 December 20,1993

Security Council

Resolution 884 November 12, 1993

Resolution 874 October 14, 1993

Resolution 853 July 29, 1993

Resolution 822 April 30, 1993

• Consequences of the conflict
• Armenia and the truth.
• War against Azerbaijan.
• Armenian Agression.
• Khojali 28.02.1992 (video)
• Khojali 02.03.1992 (video)

Terrorism has always been a threat to human life, but nowadays its threat has even increased. Nevertheless, until recently the international community did not act jointly against terrorism. More often it were individual states that led the fight against terrorism on their own. Terrorist acts of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington D.C., unprecedented by their scale, attracted the attention of the whole world community and resulted in the understanding of the necessity of a joint fight against this international evil. Since Azerbaijan has been the target of the Armenian terrorism, we deemed it necessary to touch upon this issue as a contribution to the joint fight.

1. Historical Aspect
History of terrorism dates back to the 1st century A.D., when the organization of zealots-sikaris began to function in Judea. At first members of the organization killed their victims with knives and swords, and then they openly declared a war. Their aim was to wage an uprising against the Greek and Roman rule in Judea. Uprisings instigated by zealots-sikaris resulted in the extermination of the Jews in Egypt and Cyprus, almost total exodus of the Judea population and the exile, which determined the fate of the Jewish people for the subsequent 2 millennia.
Ishmaelites-nazarites acted since 1090 to 1275. Their aim was to spread the ideology of a "pure Islam". They considered their own lives to be a sacrifice. Their terror targeted leading political or religious personalities, whom they stabbed in a broad daylight.
Robbers-stranglers were active in India from the XIII to the XIX century. Their main aim was to make sacrifices to goddess Kali. They strangled, dismembered, buried their victims and tried to prolong their death agony since they believed that goddess Kali was enjoying the sight of the sufferings.
At the end of the XIX century terrorism moved to Europe where a wave of political murders took place. In 1878 terrorists attacked Kaiser of Germany, King of Spain and King of Italy. In 1894 the President of France, in 1897 - the Prime Minister of Spain, in 1898 - the Empress of Austria, in 1900 - the King of Spain and in 1901 - the President of the USA were assassinated.
At the end of the XIX century a part of intellectual elite in Russia considered terror as the only effective way to modernize the Russian society. Members of the group "Zemlya i Volya" ("The Earth and the Freedom") created a terrorist group "Narodnaya Volya" ("People's Freedom"), the assassination of the Emperor Alexander the Second being the culmination of its activities.
Terrorism came to the USA with the Civil war. The organization named "Ku-Klux-Klan" was established in the South in order to resist the reconstruction of the South by means of terror. The anarchists led an active struggle in 1880s, especially in Chicago.
Since the 70s of the XX century the people, who had no direct links to claims and demands of terrorists, became their targets. The end of the XX and the beginning of the XXI century was marked by the intensification of terrorism.

2. Features of Terrorism
The term "terror" means "fear", "horror" in Latin. At present there's no generally accepted international definition of terrorism both theoretically and conceptually, and at the international legal level, although it is important for the understanding of the gist of this issue and for the struggle against it. In one case, the term "terrorism" is characterized as the use or threat of use of violence on a systematic basis for the achievement of political goals. To cause fear is considered to be essential at that. Negligence of the accepted humanitarian values and striving for openness are also characteristic of this(1). In another case, terrorism is defined as a threat or use of violence often against civilian population. It is used for political, but not military, purposes by groups too weak to mount open assaults. Its psychological impact on the public has increased because of extensive coverage by the media(2).
According to the Resolution on measures to eliminate international terrorism, adopted at the 45th session of the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1994, "criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them."(3)
In the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan the notion of terrorism means the commitment of actions or the threat of committing similar actions, which cause mass extermination of people, corporal injuries, or any other damage to their health, or the destruction (damage) of their property or other heavy injuries with the aim of violation of the public security, spreading panic among the population or achievement of the adoption by the state bodies of decisions that meet the interests of terrorists(4). According to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, terrorism, i.e. explosion, arson or other actions, representing deadly danger to people, causing a considerable damage to property, or any other heavy consequences, if these are committed with the aim of the violation of public security, frightening of the population, or influencing the decision-making of the authorities in accordance with demands of the guilty, as well as the threat of committing the mentioned acts for the same purposes is the crime against public security(5).
Being violence (as military activities or a common crime), terrorism is a crime, and at the same time it differs both from the military activities, and from usual crime. Terrorism has the following features, inherent only in it:
It targets peaceful civilians and therefore it differs from military activities during the war;
Violence or its threat is applied with the aim of causing fear among the population and the government. Thus, it differs it from ordinary murder;
Complete disregard of the moral values, since the victims, as a rule, cannot be the immediate cause of a terrorist act.
Terrorism is committed by individuals or by groups;
It pursues political goals.

Terrorists act within their own state, outside the state borders and in several states. They act on their own and/or with the support of a state. Their actions are directed against the citizens of one or several states. Today one can single out the following main types of terrorism:
Terrorism, not supported by states. Terrorist groupings, which act autonomously without any essential support of any government;
Intrastate terrorism. Terrorist activities of citizens of a certain country against compatriots. These are acts against citizens of another country, if they are at the terrorists' native land and are not main or selected objects;
State-sponsored terrorism. Terrorist groupings, which usually act independently, but enjoy the support of one or several governments;
Terrorism directed by states. Terrorist groupings, which act as government agents, permanently receiving information, material and technical supply and legal support from sponsor-government;
International (or transnational) terrorism. It is terrorism when planning and implementation of a terrorist act is accompanied by the state border crossing. When defining international terrorism one takes into account the goal of a terrorist act, nationality of victims and the place of terrorist act. Commitment of such acts is usually planned aiming at the attraction of the attention of international community to the existence, motives for actions and demands of terrorists.

Terrorists use the following methods: murders, arsons, bomb explosions, hostage-taking, kidnapping, capture and hijacking of the vehicles, capture of objects, attacks and armed assaults, commercial or industrial sabotage, use of specific highly technical weapons and technology of high complexity, ecological terrorism.

3. Armenian Terrorism
Terrorism as a means of achievement of political goals is actively used by separatist groupings and countries, supporting them. One of these countries is the Republic of Armenia, which, using the situation of the Armenian minority as a pretext for the realization of its territorial claims to a number of states of the region (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia) supports terrorist organizations all over the world, activities of which are directed against these countries.

3.1 Roots
The history of the Armenian terrorism dates back to the end of the XIX century. In 1887 the first Armenian party "Hnchak" ("Bell") was organized in Geneva on the basis of Marxist principles. The members of that party were exclusively the Armenians of Russia, who brought in it the militant revolutionary spirit. In 1890 the Federation of Armenian Revolutionaries" - the "Dashnaktsutyun" party was established in Tiflis with the aim of uniting all small terrorist groups and revolutionary circles. "Both of these groups wanted an independent Turkish Armenia in the six eastern provinces so it would become a national socialist state"(6). But it was an intermediary aim.
The programme of the "Hnchak" party stated that "the first goal of the party is to obtain the political and national independence of Turkish Armenia. …The methods to be used to reach this goal are propaganda, provocation, terror, organization, and the peasants and worker movement. …A special branch will be formed to organize these terrorist activities. …After independence of Armenia of Turkey, the revolution will be extended to the Armenia of Russia, and Iran, and a Federative of Armenia will be established."
The programme of the "Dashnaktsutyun" party envisaged the establishment of fighter groups and carrying out of organizational and political terror(7). At the beginning of the century the party formed a terrorist system "Nemesis", the representatives of which committed a number of assassinations of the former members of the government of the Young Turks(8). The programme of the "Dashnaktsutyun" set forth the task "to stimulate fighting and to terrorize the government officials, informers, traitors, usurers, and every kind of exploiter. …The Revolutionary Armenian Federation was a terrorist organization from day one. This would be the organization that would take control of Armenia after the end of World War I; they have continued state-sponsored terrorism to the present day"(9).
In the 90s of the XIX century the dashnaks carried out terrorist acts in the Ottoman Empire to achieve their political goals. It was the objective to stir the Christian Armenians and to inflame the Muslim Turks to react, so Christian European powers would become involved and establish an Armenian state. Armenian terrorists would provoke Muslims by ongoing acts of violence. Where the Muslims would respond, Armenians would cry out that "the barbarous Muslim Turks were massacring the innocent Christian Armenians"(10).
In the first two decades of the XX century the Armenian terrorism outraged in Azerbaijan. The next stage was in the 70s-80s, when the Armenian terrorism acted on an international scale(11). Since the end of the 80s the Armenian terrorism has moved back to Azerbaijan.
S.Weems is quite right when he notes that "terror and violence have been official policy of Armenians since the beginning of their nationalistic movement"(12).

3.2. Armenian Terrorism as a Part of International Terrorism
The end of the XX century was marked by the highest degree of activity of the Armenian terrorist organizations, such as the "Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia" (ASALA, established in 1975 in Beirut), "Avengers for Armenian Genocide" (established in 1973), "Group of June 9" (established in 1991 in Switzerland), "Suicide Squadron" (established in 1981 in France), terrorist activities of which was directed at the implementation of goals and demands of the Armenian political parties "Dashnaktsutyun", "Hnchak", "Ramkavar", namely:
The recognition by Turkey, as a successor state to the Ottoman Empire, of the "genocide" of Armenians.
The return by Turkey to the Armenian people of their "historic motherland".
Reimbursement by the government of Turkey of the material compensation for the "genocide".
The recognition of the "genocide" and territorial rights of the Armenians by governments of all countries of the world(13).

In order to draw the attention of the international public to the so-called problem of the "genocide of Armenians", the Armenian terrorist organizations tried to justify their terrorist activities by the struggle for the liberation of the motherland. "If we describe our goal as the recognition of the genocide, then it's quite natural that our movements will be conceived as an act of revenge. But if we clearly declare that our main goal is the liberation of our motherland, then the public opinion will not conceive our cause as an attempt to take revenge"(14).
The "liberation of the motherland" was supposed to be achieved by means of terror against innocent people all over the world. In his letter to Thomas O'Neil, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, the former US Secretary of State George Schultz noted that "more than 50 Turkish diplomats and US citizens were killed by terrorists seeking the adoption of the accusation of the Turkish people in the organization of the genocide. These terrorists killed those Americans who cast doubts on the accusations in genocide"(15). Armenian terrorist organizations act in cooperation with other terrorist and criminal groupings. The following facts could be treated as an example:
Involvement of the Armenian terrorist Hagop Hagopian in the massacre of the Israeli athletes during 1972 Munich Olympics, committed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terrorists;(16)
A declaration on the cooperation between PKK and ASALA in fight against Turkey was adopted on April 6, 1980 in Lebanon;(17)
Support by ASALA to the actions of the organization "Jihade-Islami", which blew up the barracks of the US marines in Beirut;(18)
Ties with the drugs baron Carlos, who in an interview to the Spanish TV said: "We have connections to the Armenian terrorist organizations. We help each other and closely cooperate".(19)
Armenian terrorist Monte Melkonian maintained contacts with the representative of the organization "Fatah" Abu-Nabil, whose mission consisted of the conduct of terrorist acts in Beirut with the attraction of the Armenians. Abu-Nabil's activities were to recruit and to use the Armenians in favour of the organization "Fatah" under the personal guidance by Yasser Arafat. Regardless of their party membership, Armenians cooperated with the "Fatah";(20)
In 1981 the Swedish police arrested a group of Armenian drug smugglers connected with the Armenian terrorists. "ASALA" repeatedly threatened the Swedish government demanding the release of the smugglers;(21)
Explosions organized in 1986 in Paris with the help of Abu Nidal with the aim to compel French authorities to release two Middle Eastern terrorists together with the Armenian terrorist Garabedian;(22)
At the Second International Conference of solidarity with the Armenian people, which was held on April 20, 1986 in Greece Bassam abu-Salim on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, headed by Georges Habash, made a public statement: "Doors of our camps are always open to the Armenian freedom fighters";(23)
Joint exercises of PKK and ASALA fighters in Trodos mountains, Cyprus, with the assistance of military advisers of Abu Nidal;(24)
Referring to the "Mossad", the BBC broadcast that Georges Habash, the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, characterized operations conducted by ASALA and PKK as "extremely racist, extremely nationalist and fascist ones". Habash expelled from his camp those ASALA terrorists who were involved in drug trafficking;(25)
A meeting of ASALA and PKK representatives was held in northern Iraq, during which ASALA representatives preconditioned the continuation of the support to PKK by toughening the activities of the latter;(26)
Identification by the terrorist organization "Hezbollah" of Stefan Nicolian, the pilot of the "Cessna" airplane, who violated Israeli air space and was shot down by the Israeli Air Forces(27). It should be mentioned that as far back as in 1987 the Israeli Intelligence Service "Mossad" advised the Turkish Secret Police to carefully follow the developments in connection with the establishment of a close cooperation between ASALA and "Hezbollah";(28)
The fact that the occupied territories of Azerbaijan are used by international terrorists and narco-mafia for production of narcotics, as well as a transit route for drug-trafficking are proved by the clash of interests of the international terrorist Monte Melkonian and those of the local Mafia bosses, as a result of which M.Melkonian ordered to burn cannabis plants;(29)
PKK and ASALA finance their activities by transporting Anatolian and Central Asian opium in collaboration with Afghan drug barons in Afghanistan and Pakistan.(30)

Armenian terrorist organisations, cooperating with militant terrorist groups, were indiscriminate in the selection of their victims, not confining their violence to the Turks. The Americans, the Portuguese, the Swedish, the Canadians, the French, the Australians, and hundreds of representatives of other nationalities, who didn't favour their appeals, also became their victims.
A special attention should be paid to the connections with the terrorist organization "Al-Qaida" headed by Ussama bin Laden. These ties have been studied in detail by R.Novruzoglu and Y.Oguz. They note, in particular, that Lella Bagdasarian, a native of Armenia, fought in Karabakh in the women's sniper group of ASALA. In 1994 she moved to France. In 1999 she converted to Islam and headed the French branch of "Al-Qaida". Argun Israelian from Khankendi participated in the massacre of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly. In 1995 he moved to Syria where he was elected deputy chairman of the Washington branch of the "Al-Qaida" at the meeting with the ASALA participation. Michel Sarkissian, a native of Sumgayit, headed the "Sassun" branch and took part in the killings of Azerbaijanis in Karabakh. Since 1999 he headed the Cyprus branch of the ASALA. Since 2002 he has been working in the analytical office of the "Al-Qaida".(31)
On May 4, 2000 the branch of the "Vadi al-Qaid" company, belonging to Ibrahim bin Laden, opened in Yerevan. The company paid for the study of 9 Afghan students at the Yerevan University in 1994-2000, who were given the membership cards of the military brigade 005. The brigade has its branches in London, Yerevan, Paris, Washington, Teheran, Cologne, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Georgia and is directly financed by Ussama bin Laden.(32)
At first glance sufficiently close ties of the Armenian terrorism with radical Islamic terrorist organizations can cause astonishment and raise questions. But the article published in the Paris-based Armenian newspaper "GAMK" contains a rather open answer, which deserved to be thought over:(33)
"There are American and NATO bases in Turkish Armenia. Therefore, the United States will oppose and fight any force that tries to upset the stability of that region and to change the status quo. In other words, to liberate the Armenian lands we will have to deal not only with the Turkish government but also the Atlantic Alliance and the United States.… A weakened NATO and a weakened United States would make it easier to liberate the Armenian lands… and would help free the Third World from the yoke of American imperialism".
Thus, the above-mentioned facts confirm that the Armenian terrorism is an integral part of international terrorism and transnational organized crime.

3.3. The Support of International Terrorism by the Republic of Armenia
Armenian terrorist organizations are powerful structures with respective units, equipment and information data. It is impossible to have and use all this on criminal purposes without state support. Armenian terrorist organizations enjoy a full support of the Republic of Armenia. The following facts could be used to prove it:
The former President of Armenia L.Ter-Petrossian interceded with the President of France for review of the sentence passed on Varuzhan Karapetian, one of the terrorists responsible for the terrorist act at the Paris Airport "Orly", where six people died, including a US citizen. After being discharged, V.Karapetian was received as a national hero in his homeland. Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Markarian and a number of other officials of the Republic of Armenia characterized the activities of the terrorist as "patriotic ones";(34)
Despite the efforts of the former President of Armenia L.Ter-Petrossian to suspend the activities of the "Dashnaktsutyun", having accused it of maintaining within this Party a secret terrorist service "DRO", involved in international drug business and illegal economic activities;(35)today members of this party are represented in the Government of Armenia. In particular, the minister of education and science Levon Mkrtchian and minister of culture, youth and sports Roland Sharoyan, who are members of the "ARF-Dashnaktsutyun" party. If one takes into account that one of the advisors to president is the ARFD leader Vahan Ohanessian, and another member of this party Hrayr Karapetian became the governor of the Aragatsotn marz (district), then one can claim that the organization, which under the previous leadership was in disfavour, "came to power";(36)
In July 1998 Abdulla Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK, demanded that the leadership of the Republic of Armenia place at his organization's disposal a camp on the territory of Armenia;(37)
Downstream of the PKK, the Kurdistan Popular Liberation Army (ARGK), under the command of Cemil Bayik, leads the armed struggle in Turkey. ARGK, which the PKK developed during the course of the war, has now, according to A.Ocalan, 15000 fighters, including 4000 women. The militants are rather young and little or not educated: workers, peasants, unemployed. They are recruited sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not and trained at the guerilla in the Party's camps abroad, namely, in the uncontrolled zone, north of Iraq, in Iran or at the confines of Armenia and Azerbaijan.(38)
In 2000-2001 according to court decision 16 PKK members, who tried to go from Iran through Azerbaijan to Armenia and back, were imprisoned.(39)
on May 9, 2002 the government of the United States of America charged some enterprises of Armenia for the fine because of the sale of equipment and technology to Iran, what violates Act of 2000 on Iran about non-proliferation.(40)

It is hard to believe that these enterprises acted without the knowledge of the Armenian government.
All this is by no means a complete list of facts confirming the support of the Republic of Armenia to international terrorism.
There are a lot of states in the world, which pursue the policy of granting asylum and justifying terrorism, create all conditions for terrorists to have a rest and receive medical treatment, provide them political cover after they commit terrorist acts in other states, encourage dirty information campaigns aimed at justifying terrorism. Still more dangerous are the attempts to create an image of "national heroes", "fighters for the just cause" for terrorists, favouring the upbringing of the younger generation in the spirit of terrorist struggle traditions. One of such states is the Republic of Armenia which pursues the state policy for the rehabilitation of the international Armenian terrorist group activists, who have committed explosions in the 70s-80s at the "Orly" airport and at the Moscow underground, assassinations of Turkish diplomats in Switzerland and Greece, seizure of Turkish embassy in Paris and a number of other crimes.(41)

3.4. Armenian Terrorism against Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan became an object of Armenia terrorism already since the beginning of XX century. The terror acts reached their strong swing during first Russian revolution in 1905-1907 and in 1918-1920. Armenian scapegraces acted with special cruelty. They spare neither olds nor women and children, leaving burned and destroyed villages.(42)
Since the end of the 80s of the XX century Azerbaijan has again become the main target of the Armenian terrorism. Terrorist acts were carried out against the civilian population both on the territory of Azerbaijan and out of it. As a result of crimes committed by the Armenian terrorists from 1989 to 1994 over 2 thousand civilians of the Republic of Azerbaijan, mainly women, the elderly people, and the children, died; tens of thousands were wounded and became invalids. (See Annex I).
Armenia stood behind these crime and these terrorist acts were organized for the realization of political goal - the seizure of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. After having been occupied by Armenia, this region of Azerbaijan together with Armenia and the Middle East became the place of deployment of terrorist organizations.(43) The documents prepared by the International Research Institute in Washington mentioned the existence of 21 training centers for PKK fighters in Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. About 660 Kurdish terrorists were trained in the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia.(44)
According to R.Novruzoglu and Y.Oguz, Ibrahim bin Laden, whom we have already mentioned, elaborated a plan on the establishment of training camps in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, in particular in Jabrayil, Zangilan and Gubadly. He invested 320 thousand USD for these purposes. Mark Sarkissian, head of a terrorist organization "Chegakron" situated in Khankendi since 1999, with the identity card, given by bin Laden, became the member of a radical organization "Armed Islam" (Algeria) and is a coordinator between the two organizations.(45)
The involvement of Armenia, to be more accurate, of its state bodies into the terrorist acts against Azerbaijan has been proved by numerous judicial evidences. Thus, for example, as a result of cooperation between the Azerbaijani Ministry for National Security and the Russian Federal Security Service a terrorist group of Armenian separatists headed by the chief of division of the Main Directorate of the National Security of Armenia, colonel Jan Ohanessian, his deputy, major Ashot Galoyan and the senior officer of the department for counter-terrorism of the Russian Federal Security Service, major Boris Simonian that acted on the territory of the Russian Federation, was called to account. This group, which was financed by the association "TIRR" stationed in Moscow and headed by V.Petrossian, organized explosions in several trains on the territory of Russia and Azerbaijan. All these persons were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment by the courts of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The fact of organization by the secret services of Armenia of the electric train explosion at the Baku underground on March 19, 1994 (14 persons died, 42 persons were wounded), which was executed by members of a terrorist and separatist organization "Sadval" that functions in Dagestan was proved during the court examinations. Numerous testimonial and material evidence directly indicate that the fighters of this organization were trained for military and subversive activities at the bases of special services of Armenia at the Lukoser settlement of the Nairi district and in the Arzni district of Armenia, as well as in camps specially built in the Maharramkend district of Dagestan. It were special services of Armenia that financed and provided all necessary explosive materials and technical means for the terrorist act. Azerbaijani special service found out 43 organizers and performers of that crime. 30 of them were sentenced by the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan; as concerns other persons, who are in hiding out of Azerbaijan, the search for them has been going on. The unusual character of this terrorist act is that the special services of a state, neighbouring Azerbaijan (i.e. Armenia), which occupied territories and sponsors the separatist regime in the western part of Azerbaijan (in Nagorno-Karabakh), organized training of terrorists on the territory of the other contiguous country (Russia) from separatists who claim a number of northern regions of Azerbaijan. This is a convincing evidence that the interaction of separatists of different ethnic origin is one of the most important constituent elements of international terrorism.(46)
Above we spoke of the policy aimed at providing asylum and justifying terrorism. Armenia pursues this policy with regard to terrorist organizations and terrorists, who were also involved in the act of violence against the peaceful population on the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by the armed forces of Armenia. This is proved by the fact that in 1993 the Iranian, Lebanese and Syrian "colleagues" of Monte Melkonian, the US citizen, who served his term in the French prison for the terrorist acts committed in Paris, who was involved in atrocities carried out by Armenians on the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan and who was proclaimed a national hero of Armenia, attended his funerals together with Armenian officials, including President of the country.(47)
Another example. A well-known terrorist Grant Narkarian and Vazgen Sislian, one of organizers of the seizure of the Turkish embassy in Paris in 1981, were honored with the title of heroes of the Karabakh war.(48)
As a result of the cease-fire established in May 1984 and the measures taken by special services of Azerbaijan since mid-1995 the Armenian terrorist activity against the civilian population of Azerbaijan began to decline. But at the same time state organs of Armenia and the puppet regime in Nagorno-Karabakh made attempts to organize, to finance and realize this activity by means of using citizens of the third countries, the representatives of small nations of Azerbaijan, prisoners-of-war and hostages.
Thus, in training bases of the Armenian terrorists terrorist groups from separatist organizations of Lezghins, Avars, Kurds were set up, talks on the preparation of terrorist acts were held with the representatives of these groups and they were rendered every assistance. As a result of the examination of the persons put to investigation in connection with terrorist acts committed in September 2001 in the Zagatala region of Azerbaijan it became known that "defense minister" and other "top officials" of Nagorno-Karabakh took part in the preparation of the armed actions aimed at the unification of the northern parts of Azerbaijan with the Dagestan Republic of Russia and in the arms supply to the Lezghin and Avar separatists. Terrorists who committed these crimes visited repeatedly Yerevan and Nagorno-Karabakh, received a special training here; they were given weapons and money for the beginning of the actions on the establishment of a separatist Avar state.(49)
Magammad Ojagverdiyev, who was released from the Armenian captivity on November 3, 2001, said at the press conference held on November 23, 2001 that when he was in Armenia he was offered to commit terrorist acts against prominent public figures and politicians. In exchange he was offered a flat in any country and the money. When he refused he was tortured in the investigatory isolation ward of the ministry of national security of Armenia.
Terrorism is closely connected to transnational organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms trafficking and illegal transportation of nuclear, chemical, biological and other potentially lethal materials. This connection was referred to in the UN Security resolution 1373 of September 28, 2001.(50) This activity is especially seen in territories uncontrolled by states and widely used as transit corridors. Terrorist and separatist organizations carry out this kind of illegal activity for self-financing aims.
Armenia, as well as the puppet regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, continues to use the occupied territories of Azerbaijan as a transit corridor for the activities of transnational organized crime. They use these territories in the interests of the drug business, for illegal arms and human trade, money laundering and other illegal activities, the obtained profit being spent for the financing terrorism,(51) which is in its turn one of means of alienation of the Azerbaijani territory. In the "International Narcotics Control Strategy Report" of the US State Department of 2003 it is noted that the occupied Azerbaijani territories are used for drug trafficking. In 2001 in the Nagorno-Karabakh region 3,677 kg of hemp were seized.(52)
Moreover, the terrorists began to act in Armenia proper. The events of October 1999 in the Parliament of Armenia could be named as an example, when terrorists killed the speaker and a number of members of parliament, as well as the prime minister.
These facts let S.Weems come to a conclusion that "political assassinations are commonplace in Armenia today. The mayor of Yerevan, capital city, complained about corruption within the state government, and was murdered. Many individuals, who have attempted to object and speak out about state government abuse have been assassinated".(53)

Conclusion
As a form of extremism and violence, terrorism is a means in the hands of the groupings connected with separatism, destabilization, religious fundamentalism and political radicalism for the implementation of political goals. Terrorism, incompatible with the norms of international and domestic law, is especially brutal in carrying out its actions. Terrorism and those who commit terrorist acts undermine the very basics of morality and legality.
Terrorism was a means for the achievement by the Armenian nationalists of their political goals. It has become now an integral part of state politics of the Republic of Armenia. S.Weems noted that "since 1918 until today the two major exports of Armenia have been its own people, fleeing the "historic state" and terrorism. Since 1918 number one import of Armenia has been, and continues to be, foreign aid from other nations".(54)
All characteristic features and all type of terrorism pertain to Armenian terrorism, which uses practically all methods used by terrorist organizations. Armenian terrorism is closely connected to international terrorism and organized crime; it is their integral part. In 1973-2001 only in Western European countries Armenian terrorist organizations committed 235 terrorist acts, 70 murders, 41 assassination attempts. As a result of these terrorist acts 524 persons were wounded and 105 civilians were taken hostage.(55) Armenian terrorism is supported by the Republic of Armenia and is a part of its state policy.
Unfortunately, the Armenian myth based on the concepts of "Greater Armenia" and "Armenian genocide" fabricated by the Armenian ideologists, continues to serve, today as well, the instigation of hatred, evil and intolerance. Direct military aggression and terrorism with regard to the civilian population and civil installations are elements of common state policy of Armenia with regard to Azerbaijan. The Armenian terrorists committed the terrorist acts against Azerbaijan at the territories of the third states as well. The artificial prolongation by the Armenian side of the process of settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is aimed at the aggravation of situation in the region. Armenia uses terror as a component of its state policy. All this creates serious threat to regional security. One thing is undoubted: the present-day Armenia, being the aggressor-state and the state, supporting and sponsoring terrorism and separatism, will act until the international community condemns and ceases to support its unlawful claims.
In conclusion we would like to remind of the statement by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that "...Terrorism threatens every society. As the world takes action against it, we have all been reminded of the need to address the conditions that permit the growth of such hatred and depravity. We must confront violence, bigotry and hatred even more resolutely…".(56)

Annex 1

Chronology of the terrorist acts in Azerbaijan (1989-1994)

September 16, 1989
Passenger bus, moving on the Tbilisi-Baku itinerary was blown up. As a result, 5 men died and 25 got wounded.
October 7, 1989
On the southern outskirt of the Khankendi town of the Republic of Azerbaijan the Armenian terrorists blew up a car bridge on the Khelfalichay River. A criminal A.A.Abramian was sentenced by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan to 15 years of imprisonment with expropriation.
February 18, 1990
On the 105th kilometer of the Yevlax-Lachin highway a line bus moving from Shusha to Baku was blown up. As a result of this terrorist act 13 persons were wounded.
July 11, 1990
A car caravan loaded with the goods of national economy escorted by detachment was attacked between the settlements of Oktavan and Jiraktar in the Agdere district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. 3 persons were killed, 23 wounded. Criminal A.Ayrian was sentenced to extreme penalty with expropriation by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan on July 12, 1992.
August 10, 1990
As a result of explosion of a passenger bus moving on the itinerary of Tbilisi-Aghdam 20 persons were killed, 30 wounded. This criminal group also planned to organize explosion on the bus Aghdam-Tbilisi. On June 17, 1991 the group was arrested, its leader A.Avanesian was sentenced to extreme penalty, a member of the group M.Tatevosian - to 15 years of imprisonment.
December 15, 1990
Terrorist group, headed by S.Babayan and A.Ayrumanyan, killed 3 persons on a span between the Jamilli and Kosalar stations of the Asgeran district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
September 15, 1990
The Armenian terrorists blew up the broadcasting center in Khankendi. No victims were recorded.
January 9, 1991
A reporter of the newspaper "Molodyoj Azerbaydjana" ("Azerbaijani Youth") S.Askerova, militaries - lieutenant colonel S.Larionov, major I.Ivanov, sergant I.Goek were killed on the 15th kilometer of the road from Lachin to Shusha. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan sentenced criminals A.Mkrtchian, G.Petrosian, A.Mangasarian, G.G.Arutyunian and G.M.Arutyunian to be shot and other members of the terrorist group to different periods of imprisonment.
January 19, 1991
In Khankendi V.Bagmanian, A.Antonian and S.Bagmanian made an attempt upon life of major-general V.Kovalyov, chief of the Office of Internal Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region.
January, 1991
Near the Drmbon settlement of the Agdere district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan a group of terrorists, leaded by V.Galayan, committed an armed attack on autocade, moving to Kelbadjar. A driver of gasoline truck was killed.
Early in 1991
A.Bagmanian, S.Babayan, A.Abramyan and others killed head of the "Khodjali" airport.
April 8, 1991
A terrorist act was committed against deputy head of the office of internal forces on the Northern and Southern Caucasus colonel V.Blakhotin in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The Court Board of the Rostov region sentenced criminals to different terms of imprisonment: A.Bagmanian and A.Antonian - to 15 years, S.Bagmanian - 12 years, K.Akopyan - 4 years, K.Yegityan - 2 years and 9 months.
April 18, 1991
As a result of an armed attack on motor-car the Armenian terrorists headed by G.Sarkisian in the Khojavend district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, near the Amaras Church 3 police officers were killed. The same group blew up the bridge between Askeran and Aghdam.
May 9, 1991
The Armenian militants made an attempt upon Vladimir Polyanichko, one of the members of the Organizational Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region. In August 1, 1993 he was murdered as a result of terrorist act in the Northern Ossetia.
May 30, 1991
The Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up near the railway station of Khasavyurt, Dagestan, Russia. 11 people were killed and 22 wounded.
June 28, 1991
A group of the Armenian terrorists made an attack on the Garadaghli settlement of the Martuni district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. 6 people out of the peaceful population were killed.
July 31, 1991
On the territory of Dagestan the Armenian militants blew up the Moscow-Baku train, as a result of which 16 people were killed and 20 wounded.
Summer of 1991
Khomich, major of the internal forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR was murdered on the highway Khankendi-Shusha.
November 20, 1991
"Mi-8" helicopter, with a group of eminent statesmen, political and military figures of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, as well as other officials and journalists on the board, was shot down by the Armenian terrorists over the Garakend settlement of the Khodjavend district of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. All passengers and crew died.
January 8, 1992
The Krasnovodsk (Turkmenbashi)-Baku passenger see ferry was blown up. 25 persons died and 88 were wounded.
January 28, 1992
A civilian helicopter, flying on the itinerary of Aghdam-Shusha, was shot down by the Armenian terrorists near Shusha. From 41 passengers on the board, mainly consisted of women and children, 3 were killed.
February 28, 1993
The Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blew up not far from the Gudermes station, Chechnya, Russia. 11 were killed, 18 wounded.
June 2, 1993
A passenger railroad car, standing on sidings, was blown up in the railway station in Baku. No victims were recorded. Criminal I.Khatkovskiy was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan in July 22 1994.
February 1, 1994
The Kislovodsk-Baku passenger train was blown up in the railway station in Baku. As a result, 3 people died and more than 20 were wounded.
February 24, 1994
A railroad car was blown up in the Khudat station. No victims were recorded.
March 18, 1994
The Armenian terrorists shot down the "Hercules" aircraft of the Iranian Air Forces, with diplomats and their families on the board. As a result of the terrorist act 34 people lost their lives.
March 19, 1994
An electric train was blown up in the subway station of "the 20th of January" in Baku. 14 people were killed and 42 wounded.
April 13, 1994
The Moscow-Baku passenger train was blown up in the railway station of "The lights of Dagestan" (Russia). As a result of the terrorist act 6 people were killed and 3 wounded.
July 3, 1994
An electric train was blown up between the "The 28th of May" and "Gandjlik" stations of the Baku subway. As a result, 14 people died and 54 were wounded.

Annex 2
Bibliography on Armenian terrorism
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CORSUN, Andrew. "Armenian Terrorism: A Profile." U. S. Department of State Bulletin. No. 82 (August, 1982): 31-35.
DEROGY, Jacques. Operation Nemesis: Les Vengeurs Armeniens. Paris: Librairie Artheme Fayard, 1986.
FEIGL, Erich. Ein Mythos Des Terrors: Armenischer Extremismus - Seine Ursachen und Hintergrunde. Salzburg: Zeitgeschichte, 1986.
FEIGL, Erich. A Mith of Terror. Armenian Extremism: Its Causes and Its Historical Context. Salzburg: Edition Zeitgeschichte, 1986.
GUNTER, Michael M. Pursuing the Just Cause of Their People: A Study of Contemporary Armenian Terrorism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1986.
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------- . "Contemporary Aspects of Armenian Terrorism", Symposium on International Terrorism. Ankara: Ankara: University Press, 1984. pp. 103-144.
------- . "Cycles of Terrorism: A Question of Contemporary Counterterror and Harassment Against the Armenians." Journal of Political Science. Vol. XIV, Nos. 1 & 2 (1986): 58-73.
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CURUN, Kamuran. "Causes and Preventions of Armenian Terrorism," Symposium on International Terrorism. Ankara: Ankara University Press, 1984.
HENZE, Paul: Coal. Destabilization - Soviet Agitational Propaganda, Instability and Terrorism in NATO. South. Marina Del Rey: American Institute for Security Research, 1981.
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SHIRAGIAN, Arshavir. The Legacy: Memoirs of an Armenian Patriot. S.Shiragian, trans. Boston: Hairenik Press, 1976.
SOMER, Tarik. "Armenian Terrorism and the Narcotic Traffic," Symposium on International Terrorism. Ankara: Ankara University Press, 1984. pp. 19-27.
SZAZ, Michael. "Armenian Terrorists and the East-West Conflict," Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies (Winter, 1983): 387-394.
TERNON, Yves. The Armenian Cause. A. A. Mangouni, trans. New York: Caravan Wooks, 1985.
WOHLSTETTER, Albert and VIRTS, Nancy. "Armenian Terror As A Special Case of International Terror," Symposium on International Terrorism. Ankara: Ankara University Press, 1984. pp. 261-280.
WEEMS, Samuel, Armenia. Secrets of a "Christian" Terrorist State. Dallas: St.John Press, 2002.
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Graham Evans, Jeffrey Newnham, The Penguin Dictionary of International Relations (London: Penguin Books, 1998), 530.
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Ugolvniy Kodeks Azerbaydjanskoy Respubliki, Art. 214-216 i 219.
Samuel Weems, Armenia. Secrets of a "Christian" Terrorist State (Dallas: St.John Press, 2002), 16.
Suren Manukian, Respublika Armenia:organi vlasti,khronika sobytiy,politicheskie organizatsii,biografii (Moskva: Panorama, 2000), 92.
"The Armenian American Prosecution of Turkey: An Unjust Trial. C. Despite of the Verdicts of the Spurious Ottoman Courts and the Findings of the Malta Tribunals, Armenian Terrorists Have Engaged in a Vigilante War Which Continues Today," n.d., http://www.ataa.org/ataa/ref/arm_prosc.html
Weems, 55-57.
Weems, 16.
Chronology of Armenian terrorism in 1973-1993: http://128.121.115.138/asala/index1.html; http://www.armenianreality.com/armenian_terror/list_of_the_assasinated_turkish_diplomats.html
Weems, 36.
"Joint Communique issued by the Armenian Political Parties active in the United States of America," Armenian Weekly, 4 April 1987, p.8.
Karen Yeghparian, Ara Khanjian, "The Liberation of our Homeland," Armenian Weekly, 11 May 1985, p.2.
Letter of US Secretary of State George Shultz of November 25, 1985 to Speaker of the US House of Representatives, the Honorable Thomas P.O'Neill.
"Hagop Hagopian Said To Have Been Part of 1972 Terror Attack at Munich Olympic Games," The Armenian Reporter, 7 February, 1985, p.1.
"XXXVII. Could there be a connection between the termination of the terrorism by Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and the beginning of PKK terrorism in mid eighties?" n.d., http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/8572/xxxvii.htm
"Armenian Terror Group Supports Radical Moslems," The Armenian Reporter, 17 January, 1985.
"Columbia: The Carlos Connection," The Nation, 22 June, 1985, p.759.
"Rapport: redige par "Moudjahid" (Minas Ohanessian, egalement "Hagop Hakopian") du 1 Septembre 1983", "Hayastan", 119-120-1985, www.u-paris2.fr/mcc/html/archives/ne/ne1112/ne111206.htm
Mark S.Steinitz, "Insurgents, Terrorists and the Drug Trade," The Washington Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 4, (Fall 1985): 145.
"Jack Anderson and Dale Van Atta column entitled: "French Foil Turks' Hunt for Terrorist", Washington Post, 31 October, 1986, p.E5
Edward K.Boghosyan, "Radical Group Hosts Well-Attended Solidarity Meeting," The Armenian Reporter, 1 May, 1986, pp.1&18
The British Broadcasting Corporation, Summary of World Broadcasts, July 6, 1987: Part 4-A: The Middle East, p. ME/8612/A/1.
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"Israel shoots down Lebanese plane", Guardian, May 24, 2001; "IAF shoots down Lebanese civilian plane over Mikhmoret", Haarets, May 25, 2001.
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Abbasov.
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Abbasov.
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Abbasov.
http://www.state.Gov/g/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2002
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Weems, 106.
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