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International Journal of Human Sciences, vol.8, no.2, pp.1002-1026, 2011 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
After initiation of the glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) policies in the
USSR by Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union started to crumble, and old, forgotten,
suppressed problems especially regarding territorial claims between Azerbaijanis and
Armenians reemerged. Although Mountainous (Nagorno) Karabakh is officially part of
Azerbaijan Republic, after fierce and bloody clashes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis,
the entire Nagorno Karabakh region and seven additional surrounding districts of Lachin,
Kelbajar, Agdam, Jabrail, Fizuli, Khubadly and Zengilan, it means over 20 per cent of
Azerbaijan, were occupied by Armenians, and because of serious war situations, many
Azerbaijanis living in these areas had to migrate from their homeland to Azerbaijan and they
have been living under miserable conditions since the early 1990s.