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Armenia says: "Nagorno-Karabakh Independence is Final"

Abdul Ruff - 5/11/2008

The nations seeking and fighting for their independence and freedom from the parent or colonial powers that have annexed them in the past have become order of modern civilization and globalization does promote the positive process of gaining freedom in a meaningful way. While the occupying powers resist the freedom bids by "subordinates", most of the countries support the moves. Many nations have already secured independence and some more are still struggling for freedom. And sooner or later they will also, as natural outcome of the flow of history, achieve their legitimate ambitions. Recently, Kosovo has declared independence form Serbia , the successor state of Yugoslavia that became several smaller nations as a result of collapse of the Warsaw Treaty orgnization.

Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Caucasus mountains in Azerbaijan , a former republic of Soviet Union that got independence in 1989, sought freedom, supported by neighboring Armenia another former Soviet republic, obviously for religousl resons, but denied by parent Azerbaijan. In spite of the fact that Azerbaijan prevents the regain to become independent, Nagorno-Karabakh has already declared free form Azerbaijan . The region's ethnic Armenian leaders or the socalled "separatists" run their own affairs, with support from Armenia . Alhough the region has declared its independence from Azerbaijan , but this has not been recognized by any state. Hence the stalemate continues.

Azerbaijan says Armenia has illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, and a number of Azeri districts surrounding the region. Baku , which announced a 53 percent rise in military spending this month, says it is committed to stalled peace talks but has refused to rule out using force to restore its control.

Armenia's new president Serzh Sarksyan said on April 29 that Azerbaijan must accept that its breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region is an independent republic that will never be returned to Azeri control, Nagorno-Karabakh, broke away from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union fell apart, sparking a war which killed about 35,000 people. A ceasefire was agreed in 1994 but the search for a lasting peace is stalled. " Azerbaijan must understand the simple reality that the existence of the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh 's independence is irreversible," said Sarksyan, who was sworn in this month.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are still officially at war and their troops frequently fight skirmishes along a heavily mined front line. Up to 16 soldiers were killed in a clash earlier last month. Russia , the United States and France are mediators in the conflict. It is quite like that Ban Ki Moon the Secretary General would convene a special session of UN exclusively to debate on this crucial issue and devise strategies to obtain independence and re-independence for the struggle nations without letting more blood flow.