Armenia's Relations with Central Asian Turkic States and the Impact of the Karabakh Occupation on These Relations (1991-2019)

Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani territories, coinciding with its independence, hindered its efforts to establish new political and economic relations. This situation obstructed the Caucasus' development within the changing global order. Armenia's attempts to maintain Soviet-era bilateral ties in this new context put it at a disadvantage. In contrast, Azerbaijan strengthened its political, economic, and military power, ensuring national development and liberating occupied territories. Armenia focused on relations with Central Asian Turkic states, while Azerbaijan's successful military campaign in 2020 resulted in the liberation of its historical lands. This victory helped strengthen Azerbaijani sovereignty in the Caucasus region and facilitated communication, political, and economic integration among Turkic states, benefiting both Central Asia and the Caucasus. Consequently, the improvement of Armenia's relations with Azerbaijan and other Turkic nations became unavoidable. This research examines Armenia's relations with Central Asian Turkic states from 1991 to 2019 and the impact of the Karabakh occupation. Despite the geographical distance, Armenia's expansionist policies towards Azerbaijan, a key member of the Turkic world, strained its relations with Central Asian states. These policies created tensions and hindered the development of stronger diplomatic and economic ties in the region. Economic challenges, including limited trade and logistics, further hindered cooperation. Additionally, the unresolved Karabakh conflict acted as a major obstacle to the development of these relations.