Secession and Peace Processes: Understanding Attitudes and Peacekeeping Efforts of Azerbaijan Regarding the Karabakh Conflict Under the Leadership of Heydar Aliyev

This research paper assesses the pivotal role played by Heydar Aliyev in obstructing the Armenian demand for the unification of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan with the Armenian SSR during the Soviet Union era and examines Heydar Aliyev’s stance, political endeavors, and utilization of multi-vectored diplomacy in addressing the conflict between two independent South Caucasus republics. The analysis spans two distinct phases of Heydar Aliyev’s leadership in Azerbaijan, the first as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijan Communist Party (1969–1982) and later in Moscow as the First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers and a member of the Politburo (1982–1987), where he steadfastly advocated for Azerbaijan’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in the face of Armenian efforts. The chapter also delves into his tenure as President of the Azerbaijan Republic (1993–2003), shedding light on his continuous engagement and deeper understanding of the resolution of the former Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.