ELYA AGHAJANYAN
February 1992 , entailed the resignation of Mutalibov on March 6 , 1992 , facing the opposition ’ s ultimatum . 45
The speaker of the parliament Yaqub Mammadov became the acting head of state . During Mammadov ’ s short-term in power , two significant events occurred concerning the NK . The first was the Iranian mediation efforts , and the second the liberation of Shushi by Armenian forces . As the latter took place while the three leaders of Armenia , Azerbaijan , and Iran met to negotiate the peace plan , this mediation failed . 46 The fall of Shushi created an opportunity for Mutalibov to organize his return to power . On May 14 , Mutalibov declared himself the president , nonetheless , he was forced to leave the office for a second time . Isa Gambar was appointed the acting president of the country until the presidential elections scheduled on June 7 . On May 18 , 1992 , Lachin was liberated by Armenian forces , which , coupled with Shushi , deepened political divisions . The power in Azerbaijan gradually transferred to the Azerbaijani Popular Front with the leadership of Abulfaz Elchibey . On June 7 , 1992 , Elchibey was elected president of Azerbaijan . 47
In his election platform , Elchibey pledged to solve the Karabakh issue in three months . 48 In the APF program , the main priorities were Elchibey ’ s pro-Turkish policies , Karabakh and a merger with Iranian Azerbaijan . 49 Five days after the presidential elections , Azeri forces went on the offensive and recaptured Shaumyan and Martakert . After these military victories , Elchibey turned to stabilize the country ’ s economy and create a standing army . Karabakh was the main factor that brought Elchibey to power and , consequently , recapturing the lost territories and winning the war was one of his priorities . 50 Nevertheless , Elchibey ’ s nationalism was not enough to maintain public support . Public support started to fall when , in addition to no significant economic changes , the situation in Karabakh also worsened . Elchibey was one of the Azerbaijani leaders who “ mainly staked at the solution by force ” rather than at negotiations . 51 Later on , during the ceremony of the annual of APF Party Elchibey claims that the can NK issue be solved only “ with the help of a
45 Thomas de Waal , Black Garden : Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War ( New York : New York University Press , 2013 ), 173 . 46 Ibid , 180 . 47 Svante Cornell , Azerbaijan since Independence ( London : M . E . Sharpe , 2011 ). 48 Agaev & Alizade , Azerbaydzhan , Konets Vtoroy Respubliki , 704 . 49 Alexei Zverev , Ethnic Conflicts in the Caucasus 1988-1994 , in Contested Borders in the
Caucasus , ed . Bruno Coppieters ( Brussels : Vubpress , 1996 ). 50 Suha Bulukbasi , Azerbaijan : A Political History ( London : I . B . Tauris , 2011 ). 51 Vladimir Kazimirov . Peace to Karabakh , 378 .
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