AZERBAYCAN VE ERMENİSTAN ARASINDA BİR TAMPON BÖLGE OLARAK KURULAN KÜRDİSTAN UYEZDİ (1923-1929)
KURDISTAN UYEZD ESTABLISHED AS A BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA (1923-1929)

Summary/Abstract: In the autumn of 2020, the territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia escalated into another armed conflict, resulting in Azerbaijan reclaiming the Karabakh territories which were lost nearly thirty years ago, thereby altering the regional balance of power. However, despite this development, it is not possible to assert that Armenia's territorial claims have come to an end. Consequently, the region remains a zone of tension, with the potential for similar conflicts to arise in the future. This study examines the historical background of the Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute and analyzes the conflict-prone dynamics in the context of Karabakh. Specifically, it explores the “Autonomous Kurdistan Uyezd (District),” which was designed as a buffer zone between the two countries in 1923. Following the October Revolution of 1917, newly established states in the Transcaucasian region, namely Azerbaijan and Armenia, engaged in a longstanding struggle over the control of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Soviet Union, aiming to resolve regional conflicts, explored various strategies and ultimately implemented Lenin's proposal to establish a buffer zone between the two nations. In this context, an autonomous administrative unit was established not only in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was granted to Azerbaijan, but also in the Kurdishpopulated area to the west of Nagorno-Karabakh. This article examines the structure of the Kurdistan Uyezd, an autonomous administrative unit within Azerbaijan, and evaluates its significance in terms of ethnic diversity in Russia, the historical and cultural dimensions of Russian-Kurdish relations, and the Azerbaijan-Armenia rivalry. By providing a historical perspective on conflicts in the Karabakh region, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of the root causes of regional instability.

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