CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VII (1, 2) Contemporary-Eurasia-3new | Page 28

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA
concerning Russian military base (2010) are considered as a direct threat
to the sovereignty of the country. And although the 5.42 article of the MD
stated that “possible act of aggression against the state of Azerbaijan is very
low”, 3.21 article adds “violation of military balance in the region includ-
ing the creation of foreign military bases in the region is considered as a
direct threat to the sovereignty and independence of the RA”. 30
Nagorno-Karabakh confl ict on the agenda
The central role as an external threat was given to the “occupation of
Azerbaijani territories and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijani people by the Re-
public of Armenia” (2.14). 31 The rapid military build-up of neighboring Ar-
menia, strategic partnership between Armenia and Russia are security issues
of high importance. The MD provides a legal base to preserve and restore
Azerbaijani territorial integrity “by any means” (3.28). 32 This, undoubtedly,
does not exclude the possibility of military solution of Nagorno-Karabakh
confl ict. Provision itself contradicts to the Constitution of the RA, which stat-
ed: “the Azerbaijan Republic rejects war as a mean of infringement on the
independence of other states and way of settlement of international confl icts,”
and military confrontations are possible only when Azerbaijan “is a victim
of aggression” (clause 9.2). 33 Here the wording and design of the problem
are essential. Azerbaijan interprets the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh con-
fl ict not as an interstate confl ict between two neighboring republics. As Na-
gorno-Karabakh is a de facto state not recognized internationally, Azerbaijan
forms restoration of territorial integrity and return of “occupied territories” as
an internal confl ict to be resolved. 34 This type of interpretation legitimizes the
use of force and military actions to resolve the issue.
The Military build-up of Azerbaijan
Military build-up in numbers
The development of military domain has been at the core of Azerbai-
jani political agenda since its independence. The entire process of mili-
tary build-up can be divided into three main periods. The fi rst attempts
to increase the military power have started in 1994 and continued up to
30
31
32
33
34
The Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, “The Military Doctrine of the Republic of
Azerbaijan.”
Ibid.
Ibid.
“The Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” (2016): http://azerbaijan.az/portal/Gener-
al/Constitution/doc/constitution_e.pdf (accessed June 8, 2018).
“Azerbaijan adopts new Military Doctrine,” Vestnik Kavkaza.
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