Nakhchivan to Drop References in Its Constitution to 1921 Treaties that Made Russia and Turkey Guarantors of that Autonomous Republic

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Feb. 2 – Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is preparing to drop references in its constitution to the Moscow and Kars treaties of 1921 which made Moscow and Ankara guarantors of the borders of that non-contiguous Azerbaijani territory, a move that puts the status and borders of Nakhchivan AR completely under the discretion of Baku alone.

            That means that Baku could reduce the autonomous republic to the status of any other district in Azerbaijan or change its borders in the event that developments make it possible for Baku to extend its sovereignty over the Zengezur corridor, something that Armenia opposes and that the agreement on TRIPP would appear to delay at least for a time.

            Farkhad Mamedov, head of the Baku Center for the Study of the South Caucasus, suggests that Ankara will have no problem with this because it has already signed agreements with Baku that supersede the 1921 treaty. Moscow won’t like it but will do nothing beyond complaining (minval.az/news/124514495).

            According to the Baku political scientist, this historic change reflects shifts in the geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus which have led Azerbaijan to become more assertive and to end any arrangements with Moscow that would limit its sovereign right to run its own affairs.

            For background on Russian thinking about Kars and its meaning for Moscow, see windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2015/12/moscows-nuclear-diplomatic-option-on.html.