The Nagorno Karabakh conflict and its impact on the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2012

Öğrenci: ALMULA EFE

Danışman: OKTAY FIRAT TANRISEVER

Özet:

This thesis seeks to examine the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in terms of the role that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict plays in this relationship. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which is one of the long-lasting ethno-territorial conflicts in the region, continues to be the major issue-area for Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. In this respect, Azerbaijan’s relations with Turkey, as well as NATO, the United States and Russia could be understood better through an academic study of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Contrary to the views of some scholars who claim that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict has become relatively less important vis-à-vis the economic and energy issues in the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, this thesis argues that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict still maintains its centrality in the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The thesis has five chapters, including introduction and conclusion chapters: Chapter Two explores the evolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict during the Elchibey period, while the Chapter Three and Chapter Four discuss the impact of this conflict on Azerbaijan’s relations with Turkey under Heidar and Ilham Aliyev periods respectively.