Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo Conflicts: Similarities in International Law and Differences in Realpolitik

There are a number of reasons why the international community perceives the Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts differently. From the international legal perspective, both cases refer to de facto states seeking or having sought international recognition. The analysis of de facto states usually starts with the discussion of the criteria of statehood, including the evolution of those criteria since the Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States. Still, understanding whether an entity is a state is crucial for promoting the case for international recognition. 

While recognition implies fulfillment of certain international legal criteria, it is a political decision. Hence, if interpreted legally, the conflicts under discussion share a similar legal framework, and the political context of the two conflicts varies considerably. The foreign policy, security and strategic interests of the countries involved in these conflicts locally, regionally or internationally, determine the international political framework for the conflict resolution. Consequently, the peaceful resolution of these conflicts hinges on the interests and the willingness of the external actors related to the conflicts.

Discussion about the two narratives will be led by Arevik Anapiosyan, AUA PSIA Alumnus, Ph.D., Yerevan State University. 

http://psia.aua.am/psia-seminars/