My Karabakh or The Karabakh Knot

Abstract

Karabakh has long been a source of tensions and confrontations; it has long exacerbated hostilities, and as a result, it has given rise to wars between Azerbaijan and Armenia and between Azerbaijanis and Armenians. How did this happen? Why did this happen? What is the root of this issue? How did this difficult situation, this jumbled knot, arise? How can this knot come untangled? These and similar questions, as well as thoughts on the Second Karabakh War in the fall of 2020, compelled me to complete this work. I have thought about Karabakh a lot, discussed it with many people, written small papers, and jotted down numerous unpublished notes. The fact that the pandemic kept us under house arrest also prompted me to continue research between October and November 2020 without hindrance, allowing me to accelerate and complete the work. There are numerous aspects of this publication that I feel might be of interest to readers, including the history of relations between the Azerbaijani and Armenian people, my own personal observations and experiences, passages from Azerbaijani and Armenian literature, articles in the media on the life and concerns of the Azerbaijani and Armenian people, possible solutions for the current situation, and possible outcomes for the future of Karabakh. First of all, I appeal to both Azerbaijani and, especially, Armenian readers. I think there is a strong need for such a conversation between our people…