ABSTRACT
To analyse the ambiguities related to the status of the self-proclaimed ‘independent republic’ of Nagorno-Karabakh, and its relationship to Armenia, this contribution examines Karabakh from four perspectives: (a) as a region of Azerbaijan, (b) as an ‘independent’ state, (c) as an informal ‘region’ of Armenia, and (d) as an ambiguous international entity caught between conflicting legal principles. The essay argues that it is essential to examine the informal nature of the relationship between Armenia and Karabakh, in addition to the formal institutional set-up. Moreover, it suggests that although Karabakh is almost wholly dependent on Armenia for its survival, yet its elites and interests have come to dominate key areas of Armenian politics. In this sense, the ‘periphery’ has ‘taken over’ the national centre.
