Armenian Supreme Soviet Supports Karabakh Unification

The Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR voted to accept Nagorno-Karabakh’s request for unification with Armenia, directly challenging Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and Soviet federal structure.

The Decision

In a historic session, Armenian legislators overwhelmingly approved the unification request, arguing that:

• The original 1923 decision to place Karabakh in Azerbaijan was unjust
• The Armenian population faced systematic discrimination
• Self-determination principles supported the transfer

Azerbaijan’s Response

Azerbaijan’s Supreme Soviet immediately rejected the decision, declaring it:

• Unconstitutional and illegal
• A violation of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
• An act of aggression against Azerbaijan

Moscow’s Dilemma

The Soviet leadership faced an unprecedented constitutional crisis:

• No mechanism existed for transferring territory between republics
• Both republics claimed legal justification
• Ethnic tensions were rapidly escalating

Consequences

This legislative confrontation:

• Formalized the territorial dispute at the republican level
• Accelerated ethnic polarization
• Demonstrated the weakness of Soviet federal institutions
• Set the stage for further escalation