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INTRODUCTION
Since 1988, varying degrees of attention have been focussed on the struggle for self-determination of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Although much has been written about many of the aspects of the conflict, one aspect has been largely ignored. The focus of this paper is to explore the nature and extent of Kurdish involvement in the conflict. This task is made more difficult by both a lack of readily available sources and a high level of distortion in coverage of Kurdish issues in general as well as in the Transcaucasus. The research presented here is in progress and the conclusions drawn are not definitive. It is hoped that by presenting what information I do have available further research will be stimulated. In this brief article it will not be possible to outline in detail all aspects of Kurdish life in the
Transcaucasus during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. This historical introduction will limit itself to those details necessary for providing the context within which recent developments can be understood.
The main debate regarding Kurdish involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict revolves around the Lachin corridor, the land bridge which separates Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia proper. This area was designated as a Kurdish Autonomous District within Azerbaijan in the 1920s and was known as “Red Kurdistan.” Its administrative capital was located in the town of Lachin. Its autonomy, however, lasted less than a decade. Even a cursory look at a map will indicate the strategic importance of the Lachin corridor, as it is the only passage between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Whoever controls Lachin will have a major strategic advantage in the war. Control by Azerbaijan means complete encirclement of Karabakh, whereas control by Armenian forces allows a vitally important corridor to supply Nagorno-Karabakh forces.
The struggle for self-determination launched by the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1988 has also stimulated a reassessment of the position of the Kurds living within both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Pronouncements on the reestablishment of Red Kurdistan have been made, while Kurdish intellectuals and community leaders have been attempting to reassert Kurdish rights. Both Armenians and Azeris have tried to manipulate Kurdish sentiment in order to justify their own actions and promote their own agendas. Claims and counter-claims regarding oppression of the Kurds have emanated from both Erevan and Baku, and more recently from the West as well.
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